Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and with it comes all the cleaning and cooking preparations that need to be done. During Thanksgiving, the danger of starting a fire at home is most likely to be expected due to the fact that everyone is busy preparing food. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), cooking was the leading cause of reported residential fires from 2014 to 2018, and the peak days for home cooking fires were Thanksgiving and Christmas.
A fire can burn a residential house in no time and leave thousands of dollars worth of losses and property damage that need repairing and restoration by a professional fire damage restoration company, such as ServiceMaster by Wright. Homeowners must always ensure the safety of their family and property, so essential steps must be taken to protect the home from a fire incident this Thanksgiving. ServiceMaster by Wright discusses important fire safety tips to prevent residential fires in this article.
Statistics for Thanksgiving Fires
The following are the key findings of the NFPA research on Home Cooking Fires, published in July 2020:
- An average of 172, 900 reported home structure fires per year is caused by cooking, which resulted in an average of 550 civilian deaths (21 percent of all home fire deaths) and 4,820 civilian injuries (44 percent of all reported home fire injuries) annually.
- The leading cause of cooking fires and casualties was unattended cooking.
- Cooking oil and grease fires are a major part of the cooking fire problem.
- More than one-quarter of the people killed by cooking fires were asleep when they were fatally injured. More than half of the non-fatal injuries occurred when people tried to control the fire themselves.
Tips to Prevent Home Fires this Thanksgiving
- Check fire and smoke alarms ahead of time. Smoke alarms and detectors are some of the devices that can actually save lives, as they provide ample time for evacuation in case of a fire. Install smoke alarms if there are none and have a fire extinguisher nearby. Replace batteries on old smoke alarms and test them once a month to ensure that they are in top shape. Alarms on every level of the home will be helpful, especially next to sleeping areas.
- Create a fire escape plan. Review and discuss this plan together with the family to let every member know what do to in case of a fire. Conducting a fire drill to familiarize evacuation routes and exits can be very helpful. In addition, teach children what to do when a fire occurs, especially the “stop, drop and roll” activity.
- Keep lighters, matches, and lighted candles out of children's reach. Also, children must never be left alone in a room with lighted candles.
- Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. When a fire does break out, having a fire extinguisher nearby to douse the flames quickly can help prevent significant losses and destruction. There is a class of fire extinguisher for every type of fire:
- Class A - used for ordinary combustible materials, such as paper, cloth and wood
- Class B - is utilized for flammable liquids, like oil, grease and gasoline
- Class C - used for electrical fires
- Class D - used on combustible metals
- Class K - used for commercial cooking equipment and cooking media, such as fats or oils
- In the event of a fire, call for help using the emergency hotline.
Cooking Safety
Follow these tips to avoid cooking fires during Turkey Day.
- Check food often while cooking. Cooking timers are useful when working on multiple dishes at once. Use them to remember when to inspect certain items or when other foods are cooked. Never leave cooking food unattended; if there is a need to leave the kitchen, turn off the stove.
- Do not throw water on a grease fire because it will just distribute the fire all over the kitchen.
- Wear proper clothing in the kitchen. Loose clothing or dangling sleeves can get stained, cause spills, or catch fire.
- Remove flammable materials near any heat-generating appliance. This includes pot holders, oven mitts, food packaging and wooden utensils.
- Keep children away from the kitchen. This is to make sure that they will not play with matches or stove fire. Establish a safe distance of three (3) feet between young children and the stove.
- Clean surfaces to reduce grease accumulation. Grease fires are a major part of the cooking fire problem, according to the NFPA. Grease buildup could help ignite a fire if one does break out.
- Turn off all cooking equipment when done. This includes ovens, stoves, fryers, and other appliances used to cook the meals.
Cooking Fire Damage? Trust ServiceMaster by Wright, Southwest Florida's Leading Fire Damage Restoration Company
Bear these tips in mind to keep your Thanksgiving celebration safe. However, if a fire does occur, there are companies with technicians who have the skills to perform expert fire damage repair, restoration, and cleanup, such as ServiceMaster by Wright in Southwest Florida.
ServiceMaster by Wright is a leading fire damage restoration company performing content cleaning, smoke and soot damage removal, and fire damage repair since 1979. We have pioneered fire and smoke damage restoration solutions for homeowners and businesses in Sarasota, Florida, and are also an insurance-preferred vendor.
ServiceMaster by Wright is an IICRC-certified firm that has the proper and specialized equipment to facilitate the efficient and effective restoration process to be undertaken by well-trained and proficient technicians. Contact ServiceMaster by Wright at 239-431-9947 for fire damage repair services in Southwest Florida and surrounding areas. We cater to clients in Bonita Springs, Bradenton, Cape Coral, Englewood, Estero, Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Longboat Key, Naples, Marco Island, Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Sarasota, Siesta Key, and Venice.
