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A Holly, Jolly Fire-Safe Holiday Season | SERVPRO of North Oklahoma City
11/17/2023 (Permalink)
Fire damage in your home? Not for long with SERVPRO of North Oklahoma City on the case!
The holiday season is back again! Is there a better time of year? Celebrations, family gatherings and, of course, good food. Whether you are the cook or you have been banned from the kitchen, a little extra safety while the meal is prepared can go a long way.
The number of house fires always rises during the holidays, and a large amount of them start in the kitchen. As scary of a statistic as that is, when safety is priority and precautions are in place, you can rest easy knowing that Grandma’s famous apple pie will be on your plate.
There is a lot of prep work that goes into cooking. While you chop, mince and dice, make sure you also prepare your space. A fire that doesn’t start in the kitchen can spread quickly when clutter is nearby.
Pay attention to where you place towels, pot holders and oven mitts while you cook. Keep wood cooking utensils off of the stove as well, and don’t place any holiday decorations near heat sources either. A pop of oil or a quick spark can quickly start a big blaze.
Consider your own clothing—it might be ideal to skip the overly decorated sweater until everything has cooled down. Clothing with loose strings, flowing fabric or dangling decorations are all a fire hazard that could cause a disaster.
The best way to prevent a kitchen fire is to stay close by the kitchen the entire time you cook, and even after everything is done while your appliances cool. Kitchen fires can start incredibly fast, and spread even faster. Whether you are baking in the oven, cooking on the stove or even using countertop appliances, you need to be in arms’ reach in order to put flames out fast.
If you are planning on deep-frying a turkey for one of your celebrations, you will need to take a few extra precautionary steps in order to keep everyone safe. Put your fryer on a level surface, and make sure you don’t put in too much oil.
Your turkey needs to be completely thawed, too. A partially frozen turkey can cause large oil splatters that present a burn and fire hazard, while a frozen turkey can cause an explosion.
We may not be able to stop every fire disaster, but when you take preventive steps, you can cut your risks and stay a lot safer. Make sure your home has measures in place as well, including smoke detectors on every level. There should be a smoke detector either in your kitchen or near it.
Get into the habit of checking your smoke detector batteries monthly, but take an extra step and make sure the one near your kitchen is in working order before you start cooking the holiday meal.
A small fire extinguisher is another helpful piece of equipment that should be stored near your kitchen. Teach a few family members how to use it so that someone is always ready to take fast action. Make sure when you cook that pot and pan lids are always nearby so that you can smother grease fires that might happen.
Keep your home safe this season. If something does happen and you are left with smoke, soot or other fire damage, call us right away. We are available around the clock to restore your home so that you can get back to celebrating and eating all the food.
House fires can happen in the blink of an eye. Contact us for a quick restoration day or night!