CHATTANOOGA, Tenn – This Thanksgiving a large majority of residents will be staying home due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning more people than ever will be cooking the main course for the first time.

The Chattanooga Fire Department says they are expecting their day to be busy filled with calls, as they are here to help keep your family safe but they wanted to share some cooking safety tips to help prevent a fire.

CFD recommends you never leave cooking food unattended, do not consume alcohol while cooking, and suggest you leave the turkey frying to the professionals.

“Cooking is the number one cause of home fire and fire injuries in the nation. We want to make sure our children are never left unattended with our stoves. As a matter of fact we would like our children to never utilize stoves unless under parents supervision. We want all the citizens of Chattanooga to be aware of having the lid next to the pot that you are cooking with; in case flames come up, you can put the lid on and turn the heat off so you have done two things to put the fire out,” says the Chattanooga Fire Department.

Chattanooga fire department says if a fire does occur it is important to call 911 and to exit the building immediately.