If I were to ask you what you thought the leading cause of residential fires was on Thanksgiving Day, you would probably guess that it was cooking related. And you would be right, by a long shot. But would you have guessed that Thanksgiving Day brings with it approximately 2,000 fires in residential buildings, which result in an average of five deaths, 25 injuries and $21 million in direct property loss? Again, that is all true information. Keeping yourself and your family safe on Thanksgiving takes just a few minutes of your time and effort, and lets you focus on all the good food and great company you keep.

Back in 2007, a Thanksgiving Day fire broke out in Otsego, Mich., and killed two people early in the morning in an apartment that had no working smoke alarms. The fire was reported to be small, but it ended up burning through the floor of the bedroom. There was no outside structural damage to the building in which the apartment was located.

Unattended cooking is the leading contributing factor in cooking fires. When you are cooking, stay in the kitchen. If you have to leave the kitchen, take a reminder with you, like an oven mitt or spatula. Consider setting a kitchen timer as a reminder if you have to leave the kitchen. Have a friend or family member watch children and have them stay out of the cooking area when cooking. This is a great time to do some coloring in a different room to avoid distractions. Too many people in the kitchen can cause problems, especially when these helpers place combustible items (recipes, towels, etc.) on cooking surfaces.

The turkey fryers pose a greater risk than conventional cooking methods. They are more prone to tipping and may overheat the cooking oil, which may cause auto ignition. If you do use a turkey fryer, cook outside only, keep a fire extinguisher nearby and make sure you have a completely thawed turkey. Measure the amount of oil needed beforehand by putting water and the turkey in the pot and mark the level that the oil should be at, just above the turkey. Then remove the turkey, dry the pot and turkey and put oil in to the desired mark.

Plan what emergency actions need to be taken in case of an unwanted fire. Make sure that the first priority is letting everyone inside the home know about the fire and to leave the home. Have the last person out close the door, keeping fresh air from fanning and spreading the fire. Make the next action to call 9-1-1 to get professional help on the way. If the fire is small and you intend to fight the fire, let someone know to tell arriving firefighters this so we can expect to find a person in the home. Keep a lid near every pot that is cooking so that you can slide the lid over any grease fire, then turn off the heat to the burner. If the fire is in the oven, turn off the heat and keep the oven door closed.

Tom Kiurski is training coordinator for the Livonia Fire Department.