5 Ways to Stay Safe this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be an extremely busy time. Whether you are hosting a party, doing the cooking, or making a dish to pass, the kitchen is at the heart of every Thanksgiving. Since a lot of time is spent in the kitchen, it’s not surprising that a lot of injuries occur there. Follow these five tips to help make your Thanksgiving safe for everyone, in and out of the kitchen.

1. Prepare the turkey safely – The star of any Thanksgiving dinner is the turkey. Try to purchase your turkey one to two days before you plan on cooking it, or if you do purchase it earlier be sure to freeze it. Be sure to thaw and defrost a frozen turkey properly to maintain freshness.
2. Careful around the fryer – Be careful when frying your turkey. On average, turkey fryers cause $15 million dollars of property damage annually.
3. Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen – There are many ways that fires can occur during the hustle and bustle in the kitchen on Thanksgiving. The National Fire Prevention Association shares the following tips on their website. Make sure someone stays in the kitchen when you are cooking so you can keep an eye on the food, keep an eye on lit candles, and keep children at least three feet away from the hot stove.
4. Avoid posting your travel plans to social media – Try to keep your travel plans off of social media. Some criminals look on social websites to see when people are going to be gone for long periods of time and use that information to plan a break-in to your home.
5. Busy children means less accidents – By planning a lot of activities ahead of time for young children to partake in you can ensure they stay busy. This is a good way to keep children entertained and out of trouble.

All of us at Acuity wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving!