Be Safe This Holiday Season

While Thanksgiving is the time of year when many families gather to celebrate, it also is a day that

Courtesy: USDA

statistics indicate is filled with many hazards. According to NFPA, in 2013, Thanksgiving Day was the leading date for home cooking fires with 1,550-- 230% above the average number of fires per day. Not surprisingly, the next two top days for home cooking fires are Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths. In fact, cooking equipment is the leading cause of home structure fires and associated civilian injuries and is the third leading cause of home fire deaths.

Despite these alarming statistics, these incidents can be prevented. CDC offers tips on how to cook safely and prevent food-related illnesses with proper preparation techniques. FEMA offers a series of handouts on safe cooking and how to prevent kitchen fires, as well as a video on the hazards of deep-frying a turkey. USDA also offers this infographic on turkey preparation.

In addition, Atlantic Training offers a series of safety tips related to cooking. The firm also recommends that consumers keep a fire extinguisher handy, make sure smoke detectors are working properly, and check that potential hazards such as candles and fireplaces are extinguished after a holiday party. The company also offer valuable holiday travel safety tips such as planning ahead with a GPS; refraining from posting your out-of-town status across social media; securing doors and windows; and investing in a security alarm system. AAA suggests that those traveling together decide on a designated driver, or plan for a sober ride home through friends and family, public transit or ridesharing apps like Uber or Lyft.

Hazards do not take a break for the holidays. Celebrate safely this season.