Dedham Fire Department Shares Holiday Cooking Safety Tips

DEDHAM, MA — The Dedham Fire Department is offering residents tips on safe cooking this holiday season.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, the day before Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas Eve.

"It is important to remember these cooking safety tips to keep you and your family safe this holiday season," Chief Spillane said. "Be sure to always keep kids and pets a safe distance from the stove and hot foods to prevent burns or other serious injuries."

To prevent seasonal cooking fires, the Dedham Fire Department shared the following tips from the NFPA:

• Never leave anything cooking unattended.
• Stay home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
• Keep children and pets away from the stove. Kids and pets should be kept 3 feet away from the stove.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee can cause serious burns.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Keep the kitchen and dining room floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags while cooking or handling food.
• Test your smoke alarms and make sure their batteries are replaced if needed.

If you have any questions about cooking safety, please contact the Dedham Fire Department at 781-751-9400.