Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to gather with family and friends to eat home cooked food, watch the parade or football and travel to see loved ones. However while enjoying the holiday, things can get hectic and safety doesn’t always end up on the top of everyone’s lists.

This Thanksgiving Day, PCEA wants to make sure you and your family have a fun but safe holiday in and out of the kitchen. Thanksgiving is the #1 day of the year for cooking fires with more than 4,000 fires occuring, according to the U.S Consumer Product Safety Commission. Follow these safety tips and tricks for an extra safe holiday!
 

• Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stovetop or oven to keep an eye on the food. 
• Keep children at least three feet away from a hot stove.
• Avoid running extension cords across doorways or under carpets.
• Avoid overloading outlets. Plug only one high-wattage appliance into each receptacle outlet at a time.
• Make sure fire extinguishers are easily accessible in the cooking areas.
• If outlets or switches feel warm, shut off the circuit and have them checked by an electrician.
• Make sure smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
• Never connect extension cords concurrently if they are not long enough.
• Replace or repair loose or frayed cords on all electrical cords.
• Prevent fires by making sure your oven and stovetop are clean and free of grease and dust. You should clean the exhaust hood and duct over the stove regularly.