Holiday Kitchen Tips To Keep Your Family Safe

With the holidays just around the corner in Central Georgia, the kitchen becomes the heart of the home – and also one of the highest risk areas for fire. At Roland Abbott & DeZoort Insurance, we want your family gatherings to be memorable for the right reasons. Below are easy-to-follow safety tips to keep your kitchen safe, your home protected, and your peace of mind intact.

Know how to respond if a fire starts in the kitchen

When cooking for family and friends, delays or distractions can lead to dangerous situations. Here’s what to do for common appliances:

• On the stovetop: If a pan catches fire, safely place a lid over it to smother the flames.

• Deep-fryer use: Cover with a lid to contain the smoke and fire.

• In the oven: Keep the door closed and let the fire burn out safely if it starts inside.

• Grilling outdoors: Close the grill lid to contain heat and flames.

In any scenario, if you’re not confident you can safely control the fire, turn off the heat if possible, leave the area, close the door (if interior) and call 911 immediately.

Simple prevention steps to keep your fireworks (of flavor) from becoming real ones

Cooking with multiple dishes, guests arriving, music playing — it’s easy to get pulled away. But simple steps now can prevent a kitchen calamity later.

• Stay in the kitchen when frying, boiling, broiling or grilling. If you need to step away, turn off the heat.

• Set timers for any food baking or roasting so you don’t forget what’s in the oven.

• If you’re tired or have had adult beverages, hand off cooking duties or keep it to simple dishes.

• Keep flammable items away: Dish towels, packaging, holiday décor and pot holders should not be near hot surfaces.

• Watch children & pets: Keep little hands and paws at least three feet away from cooking areas.

• Turn pot and pan handles toward the back of the stove so they’re not bumped or grabbed.

• Wear short sleeves or sleeves that roll up easily — long, loose fabric around burners is a hazard.

• When cooking with oil: if you see smoke or smell that oil is getting too hot, turn the heat down or off immediately. Items like flour, sugar, alcohol, even non-dairy milk substitutes can catch fire in the wrong conditions.

Why this matters for your home insurance and your coverage

A fire in the kitchen doesn’t just stop at burn marks. The damage can spread through smoke, heat, and water from fire suppression — and reconstruction of your home could be necessary. At RAD Insurance, we encourage you to review your policy and ask about options that could provide extra support in the aftermath of a fire. Some examples:

• Coverage that guarantees replacement cost for your home, even if rebuilding costs go up.

• Interior matching protection, so if part of your floor, wall or trim must be replaced and the exact material is no longer available, you’re still covered.

• Coverage for your personal articles — jewelry, collectibles, fine arts, silverware — which could be vulnerable during a fire event.

If you’re not sure whether your current coverage includes these options (or how they apply in Georgia), let us help you evaluate. A quick review now could save you major headaches later.

The takeaway

The holidays are about warmth, laughter, and gathering with loved ones — not scrambling over a fire extinguisher. By following a few smart safety steps and making sure your home is properly protected, your holiday season can stay joyful and calm.

If you have questions about your home insurance policy (or want to compare options for improved coverage), call us today at (478) 745-7200, or stop by our office in North Macon or Houston County. We’re your local independent agency — ready to help protect what matters most.

From all of us at Roland Abbott & DeZoort Insurance: here’s to safe cooking, happy guests, and a holiday season full of good memories.