As families gather for Thanksgiving Day feasts today, the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office reminds Tennesseans the recipe for holiday fire safety always includes add good cooking safety habits.
Thanksgiving is the No. 1 day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment, with three times the average number of fires, according to the National Fire Protection Association. An estimated 2,000 Thanksgiving Day fires in residential buildings are reported to U.S. fire departments each year according to the U.S. Fire Administration. In Tennessee, 26 percent of reported home structure fires in 2017 involved cooking equipment. Those 1,672 fires resulted in 12 civilian fatalities, 43 civilian injuries, two firefighter injuries and over $6 million of direct property damage, according to the Tennessee Fire Incident Reporting System.
According to State Fire Marshall Julie Mix Mc Peak, “Careless cooking can turn a relaxing family get-together into an emergency. We’re urging Tennesseans to practice fire-safe behavior this Thanksgiving to protect themselves, their families, and their properties. We want everyone to have a safe and fire-free Thanksgiving this year!”
For more information on making your home fire-safe, download and print the State Fire Marshal’s home fire safety checklist
