Thanksgiving Fire Safety for Homeowners

​5 WAYS to AVOID COOKING FIRES

1) Never leave cooking unattended

​It’s a contributing factor in 33% of the fires, 49% of the deaths, and 46% of the associated injuries related to cooking equipment. “I just went to watch the replay” is all it takes for a fire to start and get out of hand quickly.

2) Have a kid-free kitchen zone

​Children under age 5 were more likely to be hurt by touching hot cooking equipment or scalded by hot liquids than by actual fire.  Create a 3-foot kid-free perimeter around anywhere cooking is taking place or that hot food is being staged.

3) Keep flammable materials away from burners

In 10% of cooking fires, something flammable was too close to the equipment. What’s more frightening, is this is also the cause of nearly 1/4 of all the deaths. Hot mitts, wooden utensils, curtains, and food packaging are dangerous if too close to heat sources.

4) Don’t use power strips or extension cords for appliances

Small, temporary appliances such as crock pots, electric skillets, Instant Pots and the like are very helpful to feed large numbers of people. But, appliances like these should always be plugged directly into a grounded wall outlet to prevent overheating and overloading the circuits.

5) Don’t fry your turkey

Frying dominates the cooking fire problem, and FEMA recommends not using deep fat fryers for turkeys altogether. Oil spillover ignition and operating a fryer on wooden decks or too close to trees or structures are big hazards that must be avoided. (And when alcohol is involved, it can get even more dangerous.) To learn how to more safely use a fryer, visit the US Department of Agriculture’s website.