LEE COUNTY, Fla. -- Thanksgiving is a few days away and we want to make sure you and your family are safe during the holiday.
Since Thanksgiving is the biggest cooking holiday of the year, it's also one of the biggest days for cooking-related injuries.
Doctors and nurses nationwide see emergency rooms get busy around the holiday.
As the kitchen is in full swing, things can get hectic.
For some, the injuries are severe enough to send you to the emergency room.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, from 2012 to 2014, there were about 2,100 cooking fires on Thanksgiving, which is three times the average rate on any given day.
In 2016, the National Fire Protection Association reports fire crews responded to about 1,600 home fires.
Every year, medical professionals see a spike in hospital visits on Thanksgiving and burns are the top reason.
They say the top cause for the home fires is unattended cooking.
Safety tips to avoid the emergency room this Thanksgiving:
- Keep a close eye on the food you are cooking.
- Stoves and ovens have their own dangers so keep kids and pets at least 3 feet away from them.
- Knives could lead to a quick trip for stitches, especially when carving a turkey so be careful with those.
- Make sure you have a fire extinguisher on hand.
- Those of you using a turkey fryer, use it outside and away from the house.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working.
- If there is a fire in your home this Thanksgiving, have an escape plan for you and your guests.
