Commentary -- Thanksgiving safety tips Published Nov. 18, 2010 By Lt. Col. Jason Mills 47th Flying Training Wing chief of safety LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- On Thanksgiving, friends and family gather around to enjoy good company and good food. The big game is on in the living room and that crazy uncle of yours is yelling at the coach. Grandpa is doing his best to decimate the deviled egg population and your neighbor is hording the pistachios like Gollum on a gold ring. Suddenly, you see him clutch his throat and turn pale. What do you do? As funny as he may look, his situation is no laughing matter and your actions could save his life. November's annual festival of indulgence is ripe with opportunities to find ourselves in the emergency room rather than the living room or dining room at home. Here are just a few tips to help keep your holiday safe. 1. Know some basic first-aid. Be prepared to administer the Heimlich Maneuver to that overly eager eating machine next to you at the table. 2. A sharp knife is a safe knife. Dull blades are more likely to slip and cause injury to the user. 3. Sanitary measures in the kitchen can prevent extended stays in the bathroom or emergency room. Wash all surfaces with soap and water and make sure you avoid cross-contamination of cooking utensils and cutting boards. 4. Kitchen fires, especially turkey fryer fires, are extremely dangerous and should never involve water as an extinguishing source. Use a pan lid or baking soda to contain the flames. Better yet, consider dry chemical fire extinguishers a must in the kitchen! 5. Finally, if you decide not to cook and are heading out for your time off, be smart on the road. Drive defensively and stay alert. There are plenty of other folks who will be tired, stressed or otherwise distracted while at the wheel. The holidays are a great time to take a breath and catch up with loved ones. Do your best to avoid spending that quality time with on-duty personnel at the local hospital.