Thanksgiving is just around the corner and while Indianapolis EMS is excited to celebrate with our family and friends, we want to remind all Marion County residents to have a safe and accident free Thanksgiving. Before celebrating and indulging in your favorite Thanksgiving foods, take a moment to read the below tips on having a fun and safe Thanksgiving.

Kitchen Dangers

While the kitchen might be a main gathering area in your home, it’s important to understand the dangers or safety hazards the kitchen may present during the holiday season.

• Keep the kitchen crowd to a minimum.
• Never leave cooking food unattended.
• Children are especially susceptible to injuries in the kitchen. It’s important to keep knives and sharp cooking utensils out of reach while keeping your smallest guests away from hot stoves and liquids such as coffee or gravy.
• Don’t forget to keep the kitchen tidy while cooking. Dangling cords and clutter can create tripping hazards and cause injury to guests.

Frying up a Thanksgiving Feast

Skipping the oven this year and deep frying your Thanksgiving turkey? Make sure to practice safe frying this Thanksgiving with these below tips.

• Keep the deep fryer at least ten feet away from the house.
• Fry on flat ground to keep the fryer level and steady to avoid spilling hot oil.
• Thaw and dry your turkey. Extra water will cause the oil to bubble furiously and spill over. If oil spills from the fryer onto the burner, it can cause a fire.
• Monitor the temperature closely to avoid overheating of the deep fryer and potentially causing severe burns.
• Be prepared. Keeping a fire extinguisher nearby can help stop a fire in the off chance the oil ignites.

By following these tips, you and your Thanksgiving guests can enjoy the holiday happily and safely. As always, never hesitate to dial 911 for all emergency situations and take necessary lifesaving actions prior to the arrival of emergency medical services.