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Thanksgiving Safety The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Kids love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and people at home. •Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food. •Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently. •Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away. •Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns. •Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags. •Keep knives out of the reach of children. •Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child. •Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet. •Never leave children alone in room with a lit a candle. •Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button. Practice your home escape plan with your family monthly, as well. Turkey Fryers The NFPA, National Fire Protection Association, as well as the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department, discourages the use of outdoor gas-fueled turkey fryers that immerse the turkey in hot oil. These turkey fryers use a substantial quantity of cooking oil at high temperatures, and units currently available for home use pose a significant danger that hot oil will be released at some point during the cooking process. The use of turkey fryers by consumers can lead to devastating burns, other injuries and the destruction of property. The NFPA, and the OPVFD, urges those who prefer fried turkey to seek out professional establishments, such as grocery stores, specialty food retailers, and restaurants for the preparation of the dish, or consider a new type of "oil-less" turkey fryer."