Thanksgiving can be busy and stressful, which can lead to accidents. Here are some safety tips to help you avoid some of them.
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and you’re probably already preparing. How much time will you have? Where will you go? What will you eat? When do you need to go to the store? All of these questions and more are coming up. Thanksgiving can be as stressful as it is fun. During these hectic times that accidents are more likely to occur. Today we’ll look at some safety tips we hope will keep you and yours safe this Thanksgiving season.
Travel
Many of us travel around Thanksgiving, sometimes very long distances. Even hosting the festivities can require a lot of running around for groceries and other supplies. Here are some things to remember when driving and flying this Thanksgiving:
- If possible, plan to travel outside the most heavily-travelled days. These are the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the Sunday afterward.
- Don’t text and drive. No matter how rushed you (or the person on the other end) are, sending and receiving texts can wait until you’ve stopped. Drivers who text and drive are many, many times more likely to be involved in an accident than those who don’t.
- Make sure your car is in good repair. Have an emergency road kit in case of a breakdown or an accident.
- Thanksgiving is one of the busiest time of the year at airports. Pack smartly and adhere to all security guidelines to get to your flight quickly.
Food Safety
Cooking a turkey is a Thanksgiving tradition. Be sure to avoid any chance of food poisoning while doing so. Any leftovers should also be seen to promptly.
- When defrosting the turkey, place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices.
- Refrigerate the defrosting turkey until it’s ready to cook.
- Be sure to plan ahead. A 20-pound, frozen turkey can take up to five days to thaw.
- Leftovers should be refrigerated no more than two hours after the meal.
Kitchen and Fire Safety
According to the National Fire Protection Association, “Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.” This means we should all be extra careful when cooking at Thanksgiving.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Make sure hot and flammable items are out of the reach of children, especially in the kitchen. This also applies to matches, lighters, and even sharp objects.
- Don’t allow electric cords from appliances to dangle. These can cause falls or easily pull hot or dangerous items off of tables and counters.
- Turn the handles of pots and pans away from the edges of stovetops, counters, and tables to avoid accidents.
- Keep oven mitts, pot holders, and food wraps away from hot surfaces. Similarly, wearing loose clothing should be avoided while cooking.
We hope these tips help keep you safe this Thanksgiving. McCauley Electrical Service wishes you and your family a great holiday. If you need to get your home ready for the big day, give us a call at (678) 324-3117.