Chayyei Sarah's Annual Pre-Pesach PSA

a) As we make our homes kosher for Passover and cook lots of holiday food, remember to prevent burns. Be careful around hot stoves and ovens. Keep pot handles turned in toward the wall, not out where children can grab them. Be extra careful with and around boiling water when cooking and kashering. Tip: create a no-children zone around the stove by taping a border on the kitchen floor a few feet away.

b) Prevent house fires. Light holiday candles away from curtains, and avoid keeping them on tablecloths, which children can pull down. During bedikat chametz be careful with the candles (you may want to discuss with a rabbi the circumstances under which a candle truly must be used).

c) If you are going away for Passover to another family or a hotel, be sure to note the locations of fire exits when you arrive. If you are having guests for Passover, show them all the exits on their first day.

d) Maariv reported a few days ago that in the week before Passover, the rate of injuries from household chemicals jumps 90 percent in Israeli hospitals. Please be cautious when using bleach and ammonia (and certainly never mix them!) and keep detergents and all other poisons out of reach of children. Never store cleaning fluids in bottles that normally contain drinks. Well before the holiday (like today), post the number of a poison control hotline near your phone. Here's one for my American readers, the emergency hotline of the American Association of Poison Control Centers: 1 800 222 1222.

Have a happy and safe holiday!