Thanksgiving is just around the corner and with all the excitement of the “fun” things, sometimes it is easy to forget basic safety.  From the National Fire Protection Association come some basic reminders that I will paraphrase.  You can read this info at the National Fire Protection Association web site at www.nfpa.org.

Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment. Here are a few reminders during food preparation.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop.
• Stay in the home when cooking the turkey and check on it frequently.
• Keep kids away from the stove, at least 3 feet away, since burns from steam or from liquid splashes when pouring can happen, oh, so quickly.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, bags, pets, and more!
• Keep knives out of the reach of kids.
• Be sure electric cords are not dangling within kid reach.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of reach, or even locked away.
• Never leave a child alone in a room with a lit candle.
• Have the fire extinguisher in or close to the kitchen, and be sure it is functioning.

Also, if you haven’t had a fire drill this fall, consider having one, as part of the preparation for the Thanksgiving event.  If you are hosting, it is important that your family knows how to get out of the house, and where to go, as most certainly your guests may not.  Kids at least 8 years of age and older can be immensely useful in an emergency, but only if they know what to do… otherwise there is just a lot of screaming and random useless activity. So, plan that fire drill… it doesn’t have to take long…Plan two exits from each room if possible.  Planning can be fun, especially when shared with those special kids… so give them a hug.