MOULTRIE — The Thanksgiving holiday is usually a time for families to gather and enjoy good food and fellowship. The enjoyment, however, can quickly turn to tragedy if basic safety factors are not embraced.

Moultrie Fire Department Fire Marshall Capt. Lavon Cooper said cooking fires can happen at any time, especially on Thanksgiving, without the right safety measures. Statistics from the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) show Thanksgiving is the most common day for a cooking fire, with the occurrence of a fire three times more likely than any other day of the year.

In order to prevent the Thanksgiving meal from causing a fire, Cooper said the best thing to do is never leave food cooking on a stove unattended. Food left unattended is the most common cause of house fires in Moultrie, in the state of Georgia and across the country.

In addition to staying with food as it cooks, Cooper said to leave the area around the stove clear of items, such as boxes and containers. Do not wear loose-fitting clothes while cooking and do not cook while drowsy, tired or after taking medications that can cause drowsiness. Spices used for cooking should not be stored behind a stove to prevent any potential injuries.

Be sure to turn pot handles inside to make sure children can not reach up and pull a pot of hot food down and cook on the rear stove eyes if possible, Cooper said. When opening a pot with a lid on it, tip the lid away from yourself to prevent hot steam from escaping directly on you, and use approved pot holders and mitts to handle the pots or pans. Be sure to always turn the stove off once cooking is completed.

In case the food or grease should catch on fire, Cooper said to put a lid on top of the pot or pan and turn the stove off. Do not throw water on it or pull it off the stove and put water into it from the kitchen sink because the hot grease will spread, possibly igniting other areas of the kitchen on fire.

With the weather turning colder, Cooper said to have a licensed serviceman check a home’s heating system at least once a year. For electric space heaters, keep any flammable object, pets and children at least 36 inches from the heater.

For those who use carbon fuel heating sources such as wood-burning fireplaces or kerosene lamps, Cooper said to fill gas-fueled lamps outside in a well-ventilated area. Have a licensed chimney sweep check a chimney at least once a year, and make sure all flues and dampers are open before lighting a fire in a fireplace. Use dry, seasoned wood in a fireplace and make sure to have a carbon monoxide monitor in the house.

Cooper said the Moultrie Fire Department encourages everyone to be fire safe this holiday season. The best measure to have a working smoke detector in a house, as smoke detectors double the chance of survival in case of a fire. Having an escape plan, with two ways out of each room in a house, is also essential to proper fire safety.