Letter from Northeast Tennessee Executive Director, Glenda Bobalik - November 2017

As you plan for the upcoming holiday activities, take a minute and think about safety for you and your loved ones.

Thanksgiving is such a special holiday. It is a favorite of mine as we pause to appreciate the blessings we enjoy.  Family, turkey, memories, and more fill our days.  Thanksgiving day is also the time for kitchen fires.  Distractions may lead us to ignore the safety steps we know so well.  Let’s all take time to follow these safety tips:

• ·         Never leave cooking food unattended.
• ·         Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• ·         If you are simmering, baking, boiling, or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on. 9 Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
• ·         Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of three feet around the stove.
• ·          Keep anything that can catch on fire—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains—away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance in the kitchen that generates heat.
• ·         Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
• ·         Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen. Contact your local fire department to take training on the proper use of extinguishers.
• ·         Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving the home to make sure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
• ·         Smoke alarms save lives. 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.

·         Visit redcross.org/homefires for more information on how to prevent cooking fires.

I hope that you will share these tips with your friends, family, and co-workers. This is a time to give thanks.  Let’s make sure it is also a safe time for all.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Glenda