photo by Ruocaled
Thanksgiving is a special time of year where families come together to share memories, give thanks, and of course eat delicious food. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is also the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment. However, there are some simple safety tips that can keep you safe and ready to enjoy the holiday season.
Stay in the kitchen while cooking
When frying, grilling, or broiling your food be sure to remain in the kitchen. If you have to leave your house for any reason, turn off your stove or oven.
Keep dangerous items out of reach of children
Thanksgiving is a family affair, but while cooking, keep children at least three feet away from the stove to avoid accidents. Children should also be careful around food as steam or a splash from hot food and liquids can cause serious burns. Keep knives and other sharp utensils out of children’s reach.
Keep your cooking area clean and clear
You may be running around to get everything done for Thanksgiving dinner, so remember to keep your kitchen floor clear so you do not trip over kids, toys, pets or bags. Keep things that can burn – pot holders, oven mitts, paper or plastic – off of your stovetop. Clean food and grease off cooking and heating surfaces regularly. Turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk of pots being knocked over while walking past or working.
Use extreme caution if frying a turkey at home
If used improperly, turkey fryers can be a huge threat to safety. Turkey fryers use gallons of hot oil in the frying process, and that oil can cause severe burns, injuries, and loss of property. Fried turkey can oftentimes be bought from local retailers, but if frying at home use extreme caution.
You don’t have to wait for the holidays to practice fire safety. Make sure your smoke detectors are working properly by testing them using the test button. For links and more information on fire safety, visit www.glendalefire.org.
See below for a video on how to safely and responsibly fry a turkey.
The City of Glendale wishes residents a safe and happy Thanksgiving with family and loved ones.
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