You Need to Know About This Surprising Thanksgiving Food Prep Danger

The holidays are supposed to be filled with joy, but too often they result in devastation for families affected by the home fires that are rampant this time of year. The American Red Cross estimates some 47,000 fires occur during the Winter holidays, resulting in more than 500 deaths, causing more than 2,200 injuries, and totaling $554 million in property damage. And as if those stats weren't scary enough, about 40 home fires a day are caused by children playing.

The biggest reason for the surge in fires, however, is holiday cooking. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association says that Thanksgiving is traditionally the peak day for home cooking fires followed by Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. So what can you do to protect your family and home this holiday season? To find out, we spoke to Peter Duncanson, disaster restoration expert at ServiceMaster Restore. Check out what he had to say below.

"You have more fire sources in your home than you might realize. Stoves, grills, candles, lighters, and matches — to name just a few — can all cause trouble if mishandled," Peter said. The best way to make sure kids know to avoid these fire sources is simple: talk to them about how dangerous they are. "Make sure everyone knows that flame sources are for adults only. Explain in age-appropriate terms what might happen if little ones break the rules. Encourage them to calmly and immediately tell you if someone breaks fire safety rules," Peter said.

The number one way to prevent cooking-related fires is to never leave your stove unattended. This, however, can be challenging given all the slow-cooked foods prepared during the holidays. "'Set it and forget it' recipes are great, but forgetting is what puts most people at risk," Peter said. And while it's good fun to include kids in the food prep, he reminds us to always "supervise or restrict children's use of stoves, ovens, and microwaves." Seems like a no-brainer, but after watching Mommy or Daddy cook, kids can get inspired and may head back to the kitchen unnoticed to try it for themselves.

"While they may seem harmless, two of the most common fire culprits are candles and Christmas trees," Peter explained. He says to keep lit candles in sight, place them out of reach of small hands, and always put them out when you leave the room. Afraid you'll forget to blow them out when you go? Then don't light them at all. Instead, opt for some of the very lifelike flameless candles on the market.

As for the Christmas tree, Peter advised "make sure it is at least three feet away from any heat source and isn't blocking any exits." When decorating the tree, he says, even string lights can be hazardous. Peter recommends using only high-quality indoor string lights with no signs of wear and tear.

Santa isn't the only one who prefers a clean fireplace — Peter does too. Before lighting your first fire of the season, he says, it's important to inspect your chimney. "If you see black and flaky creosote deposits, use a wire brush to scrub them away. Use a flashlight to peek inside and make sure there are no loose bricks, blockages, or debris." These all have the potential to cause problems. And when it comes to little ones, he says, it's important to always supervise them around not only fireplaces but also wood-burning stoves and any type of open flame.

It's scary to think about a fire consuming your home, but Peter said, "effective home fire safety starts with a plan." The best way to begin, he said, is to "map out the rooms of your home and identify the closest exits and exit routes." He recommends making sure each family member knows the escape plan as well as what to do once they're safely away from the home. It's not a bad idea to keep a copy of the escape plan in each bedroom as a reminder — and while you're at it, make sure you have at least one fire extinguisher stashed in your home.

Simply having smoke detectors isn't enough — you have to have working smoke detectors. This means testing every smoke detector in the house annually and making sure they have charged batteries. "A NFPA report stated that the death rate per 100 reported home fires was more than twice as high in homes that did not have any working smoke alarms compared to the rate in homes with working smoke alarms," Peter reported. In light of those stats and how easy it is to check your smoke detectors, you have no excuse not to make sure they're working safely!