Thanksgiving Cooking Safety Reminders

Three times as many cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than on an average day. Beacon Hose wants you to have a safe and healthy holiday!

Cooking is, and has long been, the leading cause of home structure fires and home fire injuries, and according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), home cooking fires peak on major U.S. holidays that traditionally include cooking such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Easter.

In 2011, Thanksgiving was the leading day for home cooking fires, with three times as many fires occurring on this holiday as any average day of the year. In 2011, there were 1,210 fires on Thanksgiving, a 183 percent increase over the daily average.

NFPA recommends the following safety tips for cooking on Thanksgiving:

  • Keep an eye on what you fry. Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling or broiling food. If you have to leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • Keep things that can catch fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels and curtains away from the cooking area.
  • Be alert when cooking. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

If you have a small (grease) cooking fire and decide to fight the fire:

  • On the stovetop, smother the flames by sliding a lid over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
  • For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

If you have any doubt about fighting a small fire:

  • Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
  • Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number from outside the home.

NFPA also discourages the use of turkey fryers, a popular cooking method on Thanksgiving. The use of turkey fryers can lead to devastating burns and other injuries, and the destruction of property due to the large amount and high temperature of oil used. NFPA urges those who prefer fried turkey to look for grocery stores, specialty food retailers and restaurants that sell deep-fried turkeys.

For more Thanksgiving cooking safety tips, read this infographic courtesy of the NFPA.

ThanksgivingSafety_001

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