We’re not saying you shouldn’t use a fryer – after all, crispy turkey skin is one of our favorite once-a-year guilty pleasures, as well, but we think you should boost your fire insurance policy before you start to cook, have a first aid kit handy, and follow these safety tips, from Dr. Thomas Esposito, chief of the Division of Trauma, Surgical Critical Care and Burns in the Department of Surgery, Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine:

• Look for the newer fryers with sealed lids to prevent oil spills.
• Keep the fryer in full view while the burner is on.
• Keep children and pets away from the cooking area.
• Place the fryer in an open area away from all walls, fences or other structures.
• Never use the fryer in, on, or under a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, deck or any other structure that can catch fire.
• Slowly raise and lower the turkey to reduce hot-oil splatter and to avoid burns.
• Never cook in short sleeves, shorts or bare feet. Cover all bare skin when dunking or removing bird.
• Protect your eyes with goggles or glasses.
• Immediately turn off the fryer if the oil begins to smoke.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and be careful with marinades. Oil and water don’t mix and water can cause oil to spill over, creating a fire or even an explosion.
• Don’t overfill fryer with oil. Turkey fryers can ignite in seconds after oil hits the burner.
• Keep a fire extinguisher appropriate for oil fires close at hand and be familiar with how to operate it.
• Do not use a hose in an attempt to douse a turkey fryer fire.
• If you do burn yourself, or someone else is burned, seek immediate medical attention.

Enjoy.

When getting your college student ready to go, don’t overlook the insurance. This video gives you an idea of the insurance considerations for college students. Enjoy!

– Make the switch as soon as your teenager expresses discomfort with the pediatrician or the pediatrician’s environment. This often happens around the age of 13. If your child has a good relationship with their pediatrician, at least make the switch before college. For girls, they may need to make this transition as soon as they have their first period.

– Ask your pediatrician for help. They won’t be offended, and they may be able to offer suggestions for family practitioners or internists who see patients under the age of eighteen.

Helping your teen transition away from their pediatrician is a vital step in raising a child, but there’s one more vital step for you: contact your health insurance company, and make sure they have all the necessary information for the new doctor.

– Help your teen prepare for their first visit to the “adult” doctor by making a list of questions they’d like to ask. Don’t read the list, just give suggestions.

– Encourage your teenager to be involved in decisions about their medical care. Until they turn eighteen, the ultimate decisions are yours, but their opinions should be considered.

Even for pets without hereditary diseases, the owner’s first question when seeking treatment for an accident or injury is not, “What can you do for my animal?” but “how much will this cost?”

One answer is to get pet insurance, and this video takes a look at four different pet insurance plans:

This is an important question, as many homeowner insurance companies may try to make you work with their vendors. Remember: your homeowners insurance covers your home, but you select the contractors who do repeairs.