Did you know that more home fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year? More than 4,000 home fires occur each Thanksgiving as well as other accidents such as skin burns, choking and food poisoning. Let’s make sure to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday, by following these few safety tips.

• Never thaw a turkey at room temperature. Dangerous growths of bacteria can occur and can lead to serious illness. Let your turkey thaw in the refrigerator. Anticipate the thawing process to take 1 day for every 4 pounds of turkey.
• Clean you stove and oven before cooking. Reduce the possibilities of stove or oven fires.
• Keep the kitchen off-limits to young children. Knives and boiling liquids create a hazard for the adventurous young ones.
• Do not wear loose or long sleeve clothing when cooking. Even dangling jewelry can be a danger. These items can catch on fire or snag a pot handle.
• Use the back burners on your stove and turn pot handles in. Even with best intentions we can bump into a pot handle or a child can reach up and pull a pot of hot liquids down on to them.
• Never leave candles unattended or within arm’s length of a child. Children will be tempted to play with them. Also keep festive decorations away from heat sources.
• Choking – The most common cause for choking is talking while eating. Though we can’t stop our guest from talking during the holiday meal, nor would we want to, we can learn the simple techniques to help the choking victim.

Following these easy and simple safety techniques and we all can experience a safe and happy holiday. In the event of an emergency call 9-1-1 immediately. Enjoy!