From the Fire Chief's Corner: Thanksgiving safety tips with a side of manners

By Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

November 22, 2025 (San Diego) -- Thanksgiving signifies the beginning of the holiday season. Many will be spending more time in the kitchen preparing for the holidays. On any given day, firefighters respond to reports of a kitchen fire. Often, it is “food on the stove” and we cancel incoming resources. However, on Thanksgiving Day, kitchen fires increase over fifty percent compared to any other day, often working structure fires.

So let’s start serving up those cooking safety tips. 

Cooking Safety:

• Be careful wearing loose clothing around open flames on the stove
• Use a timer and use “post it’s” to remind yourself of cooking times in the oven
• Be careful using candles at the dinner table (especially if toddlers are present)
• Use oven and mitts when handling hot pots and pans
• Do not cool hot pans with water if grease is in them
• Have a fire extinguisher near-by and know how to use it.
• Stay alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, do not use the stove or stove top.
• Is that smoke detector properly working?

Contact Your Local Fire Department for Additional Information on Thanksgiving Safety.

Nothing goes better with turkey than manners!

Whether with the family at home or at the fire station kitchen, bad manners can make a delicious meal bad.

Here are some things to help maintain civility:

Don’ts

• Do not talk politics or bring up other “hot topics.” Often the urge is to help family members “understand” your position or understand why their position is irrational and wrong. Too often, this ends with slamming doors and someone crying in the car.
• Do not be sarcastic, critical or give subtle jabs. These can cause emotions to escalate quickly, and feelings can get hurt.
• Do not try to fix each other’s problems over one meal. Also, do not discuss the problems of other family/department members who are not there. The Thanksgiving meal is not the time to suggest someone get out of a relationship, sell a house, move to a different station, be a better parent, firefighter, or start exercising.
• Do not take things personally. Some family members are “pricklier” than others but choose not to get defensive. If someone does start fishing for a reaction, do not take the hook.

Do

• Take charge of seating. Set the table for success by separating conflicting personalities. Set the conspirators near you so you can put out fires and guide the conversation.
• Ask others about their lives. Do not talk about yourself extensively.
• Give kids responsibilities but then turn them loose. Kids simply are not going to enjoy being trapped at a table for long periods of time. They often get restless and whiny. It is OK if they run off after trying most of the foods. Do not turn it into a battle. Have something for them to do after the meal.

Most importantly, remind yourself why you are doing this. You love your community and the members of your organization. These safety tips and manners apply to both you and your community.

Remember with manners: “people are more important than problems!”

*Note: The information in this article was compiled from various sources. These suggestions are not a complete list of every preventative or loss control measure. The information is not intended to replace additional safety manuals or the advice of another qualified professional(s). We make no guarantee of results from use of this information. We assume no liability in connection with the information nor the suggestions.