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Thanksgiving fire safety

  • Published
  • By 375th CES Fire Department
  • 375th AMW
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, thus the Scott AFB Fire Department is urging everyone to keep safety in mind when preparing holiday meals.
In 2007, approximately 1,400 reported home structure fires on Thanksgiving were caused by unattended cooking, that's almost three times the daily average.
NFPA studies show cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home fire injuries. Hundreds of Americans are killed each year due to home cooking fires and thousands more are injured. Annually, cooking fires cause more than half a billion dollars in direct property damage to homes and the belongings inside. It can be easy to get wrapped up in entertaining guests, but it is important to remember to monitor meal preparation closely as most cooking fires start due to inattention.

Fire safety tips from fire department

- Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.
- If you must leave the home, for even a short period of time, turn off the stove or oven.
- If you are simmering, baking, boiling or roasting food, check it regularly and remain in the home while food is cooking. Use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on.
- Stay alert. Don't cook if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.
- Keep things that burn, such as pot holders, oven mitts, paper or plastic, off your stovetop
- Don't store things that can burn in an oven, microwave, or toaster oven.
- Clean food and grease off burners, stovetops and ovens.
- Wear clothing with sleeves that are short, close fitting, or tightly rolled up.
- Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of three feet around the stove.
- Use the stove's back burners whenever possible, and turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk that pots with hot contents will be knocked over.
- Never hold a small child while cooking.

Turkey fryer safety

- If you plan to use a turkey fryer this holiday season, please follow manufacturer guidelines.
- Fryers can easily tip over spilling hot oil.
- If fryers are overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed in the fryer allowing oil to spill on the burner/flames causing the entire unit to become engulfed in fire.
- Partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can also cause oil spillage. This can result in an extensive fire.
- Fryers don't have thermostat controls; potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion is likely.
- Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors no closer than 15 feet to a building or any other material that can burn.
- Do not use turkey fryers on decks or in garages.
- Do not leave the fryer unattended. 
- Do not allow children or pets near the fryer. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
- Use insulated potholders or oven mitts when handling the pot or lid handles.
- Only place completely thawed turkeys into the pot and be careful with marinades.
- Ensure an all-purpose fire extinguisher is nearby. Do not use water to extinguish grease fires .
- Have working smoke detectors installed on every level and in every sleeping area of your home, and test them monthly and keep them clean and equipped with fresh batteries at all times.