Safety Tips for Turkey Time in Georgia

By Grant Law Office on November 23, 2011

Every year, Thanksgiving brings a flurry of increased activity into kitchens everywhere, as mouth watering meals are prepared for family tables. Along with that extra time in front of stoves and ovens comes a heightened risk for house fires. In fact, the holiday brings three times the normal national average for residential fires, according to data by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) collected in 2009. With that in mind, let’s go over a few guidelines for keeping this year’s turkey time safe, culled from tips by Savannah Now.

• Check all smoke detectors to make sure they work well, and test them before any cooking sessions begin. Do the same for carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, as heating systems and generators can pose CO poisoning risks.
• Never leave any stoves, ovens, or outdoor cooking areas unattended for any period of time. Devastating fires can begin and spread in a matter of seconds.
• Keep a fire extinguisher nearby the cooking area so it’s within reach in the event of a fire.
• If you should need to use the extinguisher, point it at the bottom of the fire, instead of the top of the blaze.
• Develop and rehearse a solid fire evacuation plan that everyone in your household can quickly and efficiently execute at any time. Purchase certified fire evacuation ladders for those in second floor rooms, and rehearse safety procedures on a regular basis.

In addition, pay caution to hazards outside of the kitchen during the holidays, namely electric space heaters. If left unattended, these devices can also cause severe fires. Always keep clothes, furniture, or any other potentially flammable items away from heaters. If you or a loved one has been injured in a residential Georgia fire, call the Georgia personal injury attorneys with Wayne Grant at (404) 995-3955 for a free consultation today.