Thanksgiving Countdown

With Thanksgiving being a week away now is good time to take a step back and think about kitchen safety prior to the big meal. Should something happen in your home is your homeowner’s insurance policy ready to handle a claim?  Here are some things to consider over the next few days to ensure a safe and successful holiday meal.

 

Fire Prevention Month

Did you know that November is fire prevention month? This is because more fires happen on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. I know that everyone is focused on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and all of the other delicious trimmings that are part of the meal so allow me to be your conscience. In order to keep the good times going follow these simple steps.

 

Bird in the Oven

 Number one is to check the batteries in your smoke detector and shake up your fire extinguisher. Unattended cooking is a leading factor in most kitchen fires. Ifsomething does spark you want your smoke detector to alert you immediately and your extinguisher ready to fire.  Next stay in your home while cooking your turkey and check on it frequently. Turkey grease can spark a fire. If you are cooking your bird in an aluminum pan consider using two pans placing one inside the other. That way if pan number one becomes punctured you have a back up in place to keep grease and juice from dripping into your oven.

 

Stovetop Safety

Stovetop safety is also important thing to keep an eye on when you are not checking on the turkey. Keep potholders, oven mitts, wooden spoons, and any other debris far away from the flame of the burner. Be sure to keep pot handles turned inside so they are out of the reach of children, and don’t wear a loose fitting shirt. With multiple things cooking on the stove top it’s easy for a hanging sleeve to get caught on something or come in contact with a flame.

 

What to do if…..

If you have a small (grease) cooking fire on the stovetop and decide to fight the fire smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. For an oven fire turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

 

Homeowner’s Insurance

Check your smoke detectors, check your extinguishers and have the John Suppa Agency check your homeowner’s policy. We will make sure your home is adequately insuredand the right coverage is in place. Call John Suppa or Tiffany Baird at 412-238-8200