5 Ways to ensure a safe Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of America’s most beloved traditions and a
great opportunity to truly reflect on everything we have to be
grateful for. Families and friends from all across the country gather
to enjoy each other’s company and cooking. And while the holiday is
supposed to focus on the joyous parts of life, disaster can still strike
if you are not careful. With that in mind, we constructed this list of
five ways to avoid costly disasters. Share these tips with your friends,
family, clients, and anyone you know who can benefit from them.

Take Precautions for COVID-19
First things first: make sure everyone is healthy enough to
participate in any in-person gatherings. As though it were
possible to forget, we are still in the midst of a pandemic. Despite
the fact that we are making good strides to reach the other end of
this, we still have work to do to keep everyone safe, especially if we
decide to get together. If you choose to go to someone else’s home,
have guests at your home, or go to a restaurant to celebrate, be

sure to take proper COVID-19 safety precautions. We

recommend everyone involved take a free COVID test and know their status
within 24 hours of gathering. Wear a mask when you are not eating
and are interacting within close proximity to anyone you do not
share a residence with. We can be together, but let’s do it safely!

Use EXTREME Caution When Frying A Turkey
Frying a turkey is a way to make a delicious meal, but it is also
the most dangerous way to prepare the Thanksgiving delicacy.
Only use your turkey fryer outdoors on a sturdy, level surface
well away from people, pets, and combustible things. Don’t overfill
the cooking pot. Ahead of time, test the turkey in the pot with

water to determine the correct amount of oil you will need. Ensure
your turkey is completely defrosted before you fry it to prevent
hot oil from splattering. Use a cooking thermometer to check the
temperature of your fryer, as it can easily overheat and start a fire.
Wear long cooking gloves to protect your hands when handling the
turkey fryer. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Never, ever use water
to put out a fire in a fryer.

Stay Alert When In The Kitchen
Thanksgiving Day is one of our most important celebrations, but
did you know that it’s also the leading day for home cooking
fires? This isn’t just because of frying turkeys. In fact, regular
kitchen fires are a major factor in the reason why this statistic
exists. The best way to stay safe is to stay in the kitchen while frying,
grilling, or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen even for a
few minutes, turn off the stove. When cooking your turkey, check
on it frequently and never leave the house. Alcohol (or drowsiness)
and cooking don’t mix! Don’t use the oven or stovetop if you are too
sleepy or have consumed alcohol. Use a cooking timer to remind you
when it’s time to turn off the stove or oven. Don’t wear loose-fitting
clothing and roll up your sleeves when cooking. If you have long
hair, tie it back. Keep flammable things, such as oven mitts, wooden
utensils, your clothing, or food packaging, away from the stovetop.
When cooking, keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires. Put
it out by sliding the lid over the pan and then turn off the stovetop.
Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. And never throw
water onto a grease fire!

Don’t Give Your Pet Their Own Plate!
We know it can be nearly impossible to say “No” to our furry
companions when they look at you, asking for food, but this
is for their own good! Never feed your pet Thanksgiving food.
Oily and fatty foods can cause serious problems for pets, such as
vomiting, diarrhea, and pancreatitis. Bones can also harm your
pet’s digestive tract. Other foods that are poisonous to pets include
raisins, grapes, onions, chocolates, cooked bones, fruit pits, and
walnuts. Yeast dough can also be dangerous to pets. The yeast in
rough dough converts the sugars in the dough to carbon dioxide, gas,

and alcohol. Ingesting it may cause painful gas and bloating, which
can sometimes threaten your pet’s life. After the meal, dispose of all
trash and leftovers, such as turkey remains, bones, and packaging
immediately in a closed container. Pets may get curious and can
cause themselves serious harm eating leftovers.

Make Sure Your Home Is Secure Before You Travel
If you are leaving town for the holidays, then be sure everything
is secure before you leave. Make sure you turn off all electronics
and unplug appliances. Do not announce that you are leaving
on social media. Arrange for a neighbor or friend (or local police
officer) to routinely come by your home and inspect to see there
are no emergencies. If you have a pet and you are leaving them at
your house, your friend/neighbor can use this opportunity to check
on your pets. If you have a security monitoring system in place, be
sure to inform the operators that you will be out of town. Nothing
could ruin your Thanksgiving getaway quite like coming home to
unattended property damage.

If the worst should happen, and a fire occurs, call PuroClean of Massapequa.

At PuroClean we specialize in fire damage restoration. We will clean and deodorize your property, remove smoke odors, and deep-clean soot from walls, carpets, pads, and upholstery. We also provide pack-out services in which we will catalog, remove and store items salvaged from the fire, and then return them to you when your property is completely restored.

Our trained professionals are also standing by if you need quick and efficient water damage restoration after a fire.