Glendale Fire Department encourages Kitchen Safety during the Holidays

(Glendale, CA)Thanksgiving is a day when families come together and share a beautiful meal. Unfortunately, 34% of home fires are the result of food left unattended. There are more reported house fires on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year. Follow the simple kitchen safety tips below to prevent a fire in your home this holiday season.

Kitchen Safety Tips:
• Never leave food unattended while cooking.
• Do not use a stove or oven to heat a house.
• Keep cooking surfaces clean and free from grease build up.
• Always maintain a three-foot “Kid Free-Pet Free Zone” around the cooking area.
• Turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk of pots falling over.
• Make sure smoke detectors are working properly. Test them by pushing the test button.
• Keep things that burn – pot-holders, oven mitts, paper or plastic - off stovetops.

In Case of a Cooking Fire:
• Keep Calm and Call 9-1-1.
• Turn off the stove, oven, microwave or other equipment involved in the fire.

Turkey fryers can be a huge threat to safety. They are designed to use gallons of hot oil in the frying process and are known to cause severe burns, injuries and loss of property. Ideally, purchase fried turkey from local retailers, but if frying a turkey at home, please use extreme caution. 

The Glendale Fire Department wishes Glendale residents a safe and happy Thanksgiving. 

The mission of the Glendale Fire Department is to protect life and property by providing the highest level of service to the community.  For more information about the Glendale Fire Department, go to www.glendalefire.org and follow GFD on twitter @GlendaleCAFire. 

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