Thanksgiving Day Safety

Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays -- but it's also one of the most hazardous. All that turkey and stuffing prep means lots of work in the kitchen, which is almost always ground zero for house fires.

Protect your house -- and your guests! -- this year by following a few simple safety precautions courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association:

Watch the bird
Check your turkey often - and don't leave anything unattended in the oven! If you have any last-minute errands, wait until your food is finished cooking. If you don’t, you could end up with more problems than just a burnt turkey!

Be wary of little helpers
Kids want to help -- but keep them out of the kitchen! The stream or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee can cause serious burns. Have kids help with any meal prep in a separate area.

Watch for fire hazards
Common kitchen tools such as pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, paper or plastic bags can easily become fire hazards. Keep them away from your heat sources!

Make sure that you check the kitchen to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.
Check your smoke alarms!

This holiday season is a great time to make sure you have working smoke alarms. Test all the smoke detectors throughout your house by using the test button. If you haven’t replaced the batteries in a while, this is the perfect time to do so.

Here's to a very Happy (and safe!) Thanksgiving!

Source: National Fire Protection Association.