Thanksgiving tips

With the Thanksgiving holidays underway, Ville Platte and Evangeline Parish Fire District #2 Fire Chief Chris Soileau and staff, would like to offer the following safety tips to keep residents safe while Cooking at Home for the holidays. The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Kids love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there are a lot of activity and people at home.
•Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Keep children away from the stove and from hot food and liquids. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• 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.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
•Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
If you have a small (grease) cooking fire and decide to fight the fire...
• On the stovetop, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.