The holidays are nearly upon us! Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are all coming up in the next few months. While you’re enjoying the good times, good family, and good food, here are a few safety tips to keep in mind to keep everyone safe.
Trick or treating
According to SafeKids.org, children are more than twice as likely to be hit by a car on Halloween as on any other night of the year. Here’s some tips to keep them safe
- Only trick or treat in groups
- Children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult
- Children should carry a flashlight or glowstick to make sure they can be seen at night
- Stick to neighborhoods you know
- Children shouldn’t enter someone else’s house unless accompanied by an adult
- Children shouldn’t accept a ride from a stranger
Thanksgiving
A turkey is much larger than anything else you cook, so make sure you follow the correct cooking guidelines for your size bird
While the turkey is cooking, keep an eye on the kitchen. According to the National Fire Protection Agency, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.
Deep frying has become a popular way of quickly cooking a tasty turkey. But, if you don’t do it right, you can cause an instant house fire.
Here’s some examples of turkey frying going very wrong!
Here are some tips for doing it safely
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed.
- No, Really – Make sure the turkey is completely thawed.
- Make sure the fryer is away from the side of your house. As Realtors, we frequently see vinyl siding melted from being too close to an outdoor cooker.
- Make sure you account for the size of the turkey when filling the pot with oil. Otherwise, the oil could spill when you lower the turkey, causing splash burns or igniting a fire.
Driving
Many of us will make long drives during the holidays to see friends and family
- Get plenty of sleep before making a long drive, and take frequent rest stops.
- Use a hands-free device for your cell phone
- Listed to fun music, and audio book, or a good podcast. Driver’s choice!
Alcohol
The holidays are a popular time to (over)indulge. Don’t drink to excess around people you don’t know.
Have a designated driver, or use a taxi or a ridesharing service.
If you wind up away from home and have more than you planned, don’t risk trying to drive back home. See if you can crash at your friend’s house, or have an Uber or Lyft take you home. They’ll be happy to take you back to your car the next day after you’ve sobered up.
References:
Halloween Tips from Safekids: https://www.safekids.org/halloween?gclid=CjwKCAjwxaXtBRBbEiwAPqPxcNTbSJQOzqboFlVrn41qagKfq0WoF6pJIA4Idg5eK7WxXAiB8wWGThoCv6kQAvD_BwE
Halloween tips from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/family/halloween/index.htm
Cooking safety tips: https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/food-safety-by-events-and-seasons#winter
NFPA Seasonal fire safety tips: https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Thanksgiving
How to fry a turkey: https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/how-to-deep-fry-turkey/
Long Driving Tips: https://blog.nationwide.com/9-tips-long-drives/