SACRAMENTO, Calif., Wednesday, November 27, 2013 – Thanksgiving is all about loved ones getting together and enjoying a delicious holiday dinner. Since cooking is the number one cause of home fires, the American Red Cross announces the top ten ways to avoid a fire while preparing the holiday meal this year:

1.     Don’t wear loose clothing or sleeves that dangle while cooking.

2.     If you are frying, grilling or broiling food, never leave it unattended – stay in the kitchen. If you just leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.

3.     If you’re simmering, baking, roasting or broiling food, check it regularly.

4.     Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.

5.     Keep kids and pets away from the cooking area. Make them stay at least three feet away from the stove.

6.     Keep anything that can catch fire – pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove, oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.

7.     Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.

8.     Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.

9.     Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.

10.  Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year.

To learn how to prevent a fire in your home and how to keep members of your household safe, you can download The Red Cross Fire Prevention and Safety Checklist. Downloadable fact sheets are also available on how to be fire safe over the holidays, how to avoid home heating fires, candle safety, proper use of smoke alarms and how to teach your children what to do in the event of a fire.

Bonus Tip

Download the American Red Cross First Aid App. The app provides users with quick, expert advice on what to do in case of an emergency. This free app is available on the Apple iTunes or Google Play stores. See all Red Cross apps at redcross.org/mobileapps.

Take Our Quiz

Take a moment to take our Thanksgiving Fire Safety Quiz and then share it with your friends.

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation’s blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. The Capital Region serves a twenty-four county territory including Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Colusa, El Dorado, Glenn, Lassen, Modoc, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Sacramento, San Joaquin, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne, Yolo, and Yuba counties. For more information, visit www.redcross.org/capitalregion or follow us on Twitter @RedCrossCRC.