Halloween is Better: Kitchen Safety Tips for Thanksgiving

9/28/2021 (Permalink)

Halloween kitchen fires? Never heard of it.

Halloween is the golden child of the autumn season. Everyone loves dressing up, putting up decorations, watching horror movies, and (my favorite) getting to wear jackets again. That's not specific to Halloween, but I felt like I could sneak it in there. Why not?

The less joyous holiday of the fall season is Thanksgiving. Before you come after me with pitchforks and torches, let me explain. In comparison to Halloween, Thanksgiving is stressful. You have to cook, maybe host family or friends, turkey never turns out correctly, and Uncle Barry uses it as an excuse to go comatose on your recliner after dinner. Halloween is just so much more exciting.

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving is the food. We all look forward to it, especially Uncle Barry. With all of the running around and chaos happening in the kitchen, however, house fires are a sadly common occurrence. Someone will leave a pot unattended, a turkey frying operation will go sideways, something gets left in the oven, etc. These things happen every year, and it is important to be prepared for them. SERVPRO of Hacienda Heights / Rowland Heights wants to quickly remind you of some important safety tips to keep you safe on this less-cool-than-Halloween holiday!

• Never leave cooking food unattended - This is probably the single most common cause of kitchen fires in general. If you have something on the stove, keep an eye on it. If something is in the oven, set a timer! These simple steps may save you from a tragedy.
• Keep unnecessary people out of high-traffic areas - When you're moving heavy pots and pans full of grease and hot water around, the last thing you want is to bump into or trip over someone. Remember: cooking is not a spectators sport!
• Make sure you have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen - It is important to study up on the different types of extinguishers available. They all do something different and what works in one situation may not work in another. Be sure to have the correct assortment of extinguishers around!

While these safety tips are valuable and may help prevent a fire, sometimes bad things happen. If they do, call SERVPRO of Hacienda Heights / Rowland Heights a call. We are here to help.