This year, dinner’s at your Georgia home! Thanksgiving weekend is sure to be a fun occasion for all. But it will be even more joyous if your homeowners insurance is all that it should be—and you take a few simple and sensible precautions to keep it safe. Read on for some Thanksgiving safety tips to get you headed in the right direction.
How Protection Policies Translate to Holiday Peace of Mind
Chances are, your Thanksgiving guest list will probably have a mix of age groups! You might invite grandparents and toddlers, all of whom might be a little unsteady on their feet and perhaps more easily injured. In all, you’re likely to have a lot of loved ones in limited spaces. You want the day—or the weekend—to be memorable, but not for all the wrong reasons.
Stay safe with the following holiday safety tips for homeowners, and you’ll have the kind of Thanksgiving the family will treasure.
Prevent Kitchen Fires During Thanksgiving Preparation
There might be quite a few family members bumping around in the kitchen while preparing or simply heating the dinner’s main courses, side dishes, and desserts. When there’s that much bustling activity going on at one time in a contained space, chaos might ensue.
Keep your eye on the prize. That is, make sure you don’t forget what’s cooking, simmering, and frying. Set timers so you won’t get distracted, and let dinner go up in flames. Make sure you keep curtains, oven mitts, towels, and other flammables (including clothing!) away from heat and flame sources.
And finally, have smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher close at hand. In fact, ask your homeowners insurance agent — you might find that you’ll earn a premium reduction just by having those fire safety tools in place.
Deep-Fried Turkey Safety: Avoid Common Hazards
For starters, avoid using turkey fryers, which have been deemed to be dangerous by both the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Underwriters Laboratories.
One critical risk is that the fryer can tip over, spilling scalding hot grease. It can also overheat, and many are designed in such a way that hands can get burned on the handles.
Instead, use a deep pan — one that’s much larger than the bird. Cook your turkey in oil that carries a high smoke point, such as peanut, avocado, canola, or corn oil. Avoid using butter or olive oil.
Make sure your turkey is fully thawed before starting since frozen spots can make your oil boil over. The standard advice is to thaw the bird for 24 hours for every 5 pounds of frozen weight.
And, once again, make sure you have a smoke alarm and fire extinguisher in your workspaces and that both actually work.
Manage Guest Safety and Liability During Holiday Gatherings
Will there be alcohol served? A glass or two of wine or spirits can add warmth and humor to a family get-together. But only to a point. Too much consumption can pose safety hazards. Try to keep an eye on all family members and gently steer over-imbibers to the coffee pot if you think they’re at risk to themselves or others. And make sure everyone stays safe behind the wheel this Thanksgiving by only allowing unimpaired drivers to operate a vehicle at the end of festivities.
Before the holiday party begins, get your house as clutter-free as possible. You don’t want anyone tripping over the kids’ toys on the stairs or a coffee table in the way of foot traffic.
While it’s unlikely that your folks or favorite uncle would sue you if they are injured on your premises, there might be new guest companions who don’t feel similarly hesitant to call a lawyer. Your homeowners insurance policy probably includes liability protection, which will help pay for lawyers and legal costs. You can also use your policy to handle medical costs for those who are injured — but do all you can to avoid the need.
Stay Alert with Fireplaces and Candles
A fire in the fireplace and dining by candlelight just seem to fit the season, don’t they? But take care. Make sure you have a firescreen in place. Small kids in the holiday mix? They’re drawn to a leaping flame like moths to a lightbulb. Watch them closely and make sure their parents give them fire avoidance cautions.
When it comes to the candles, make sure there are no flammable materials anywhere near them, such as tossed coats or hats. For that matter, are they really necessary? If you have a home full of people, and can’t guarantee adequate spacing between them and flames, you might consider foregoing candlelight.
And finally, make sure you keep your fire insurance policy and agent’s contact information near at hand—just in case.
Keep Pets (and Guests) Safe During Thanksgiving Festivities
You know your furry loved one better than anyone. Some crave the attention of visitors, no matter how many or how loud, while others can get easily stressed around a house full of strangers. That might be especially true if there are small children who squeal, move quickly, and grab tails.
How does your pet react when it feels under attack? You don’t want a small or not-so-small guest to be nipped or scratched.
If you think your pets might suffer sensory overload during the festivities, consider putting them in a bedroom or other space where they’re unlikely to see visitors. Add their favorite toys or security items. If being locked away like that will spook them even more, consider boarding them for the day.
Fortunately, your homeowners insurance policy probably includes coverage for dog bite injuries and family liability protection if worse comes to worst.
Quick Response and First Aid Tips for Thanksgiving Emergencies
You could take every precaution and still have someone get hurt. That’s not surprising if you have a lot of guests and some stay for the entire weekend. If there are energetic kids or unsteady older people involved, well, life happens. That’s why there are first aid kits. Make sure you have a first aid kit that’s fully stocked and that everyone knows where to find it in case of an emergency.
Your kit should include:
- Gauze pads
- Antiseptic creams and wipes
- Burn ointment
- Aspirin
- Scissors
- Tweezers
Elastic and adhesive bandages and tape
Don’t waste time trying to treat injuries that seem more serious than you can handle. Call 911 if in doubt. Remember, your home insurance plan is likely to include coverage for medical care after an accident in your home.
Keep these handy tips in mind, and you all have a fantastic—and safe—Thanksgiving with the family!