Thanksgiving Safety
Thanksgiving is synonymous with family, food, and football! The air is crisp, the colors are gorgeous outside, and we all try and take inventory of all that we have been blessed with.
For the fire department though, Thanksgiving is all synonymous with fire. With the surge of deep fried turkeys in the last decade, cooking fires have remained at the top for reasons of property damage and fire-related fatalities.
In fact, Thanksgiving Day is the leading day for home fires. There are on average twice as many fires reported on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year. And here’s another tidbit, Georgia ranks in the top 5 states for Thanksgiving cooking-related fires.
Some brief statistics to keep in mind, in the past 10 years on Thanksgiving Day ALONE there have been 10,667 fires with 50 fatalities, 112 injured, and $24.5 million dollars in damages.
So, let’s be safe this year. Let’s obliterate the numbers for injuries, fatalities, and property damage. Keeping you and your family safe is as simple as planning ahead & planning right.
Safety Tips
If you’re going to fry your turkey (& I know it’s delicious!):
•NEVER set up your pot and flame on or near a wooden deck or in your garage.
•NEVER use a frozen or even a partially frozen turkey. Water and oil are guaranteed to start a fire.
•NEVER overfill your pot with oil. If your pot does not have a “Max Fill” line, set in your packaged turkey from the store and top with water, ensuring you have a minimum of five inches to the top of the pot. Remove the turkey and mark.
•Just like the old song Stand by Your Man….Stand by Your Pan. Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
•Invest in a kitchen fire extinguisher! The best $20 you’ll spend.
•Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
•Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
•Keep knives out of the reach of children.
•Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
•Make sure your smoke alarms are working.
Jasper, I’m thankful for my God, my family, and my county. Please stay safe as the holidays are approaching and every day. Many blessings to you and your families!
