Thanksgiving safety and civility are two essential ingredients to help ensure a joyful start to the holiday season – a time of gratitude, gathering, and yes, a lot more time spent in the kitchen.

Firefighters often respond to kitchen fires; however, on Thanksgiving Day, kitchen fires increase by over 50%, thus emphasizing the importance of cooking with safety and preventing fires while preparing feasts.

To keep from becoming part of that statistic, observe these essential safety tips:

Avoid wearing loose clothing near open flames or stovetops.

Use timers and sticky notes to keep track of oven cooking times.

Be cautious with candles at the dinner table, especially around children.

Always use oven mitts when handling hot pots and pans.

Never cool grease-filled pans with water; it can

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