The holidays are a time when friends and family are brought together through food. During this season families bake sweet treats, make traditional family recipes, and gather for button-popping feasts. Unfortunately, all of this time in the kitchen results in dangerous cooking fires.
Year-Round Cooking Fires
Cooking fires happen all year long. NFPA reports that fire departments respond to an average of 172,000 home structure fires per year that are started by cooking. The leading cause of cooking fires and their related deaths are from unattended cooking.
NFPA also reports that 63% of these reported cooking fires involved ranges and cooktops. Ranges and cooktops are also responsible for 79% of cooking fire injuries and 86% of cooking fire deaths. Electric ranges and cooktops are more dangerous and have a higher risk of fire than gas ranges.
Thanksgiving Cooking Fires
The peak time for cooking fires is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving Day is the number one day for cooking fires to occur throughout the year. NFPA reports that, “US fire departments responded to an estimated 1,570 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving” in 2016. Approximately half of these fires involved cooking equipment and the leading contributing factor is unattended cooking equipment.
Turkey fryers are the most dangerous piece of cooking equipment when it comes to making your Thanksgiving feast. NFPA, “strongly discourages the use of turkey fryers” and FEMA wants people to keep the following in mind when it comes to turkey fryers:
- They can easily tip over and spill hot oil.
- They should only be used outside on sturdy, level ground, spaced well away from things that can burn.
- You must have a 3-foot kid and pet-free zone around your fryer.
- Do not overfill your fryer; this will cause oil to spill out once the turkey is placed inside.
- Your turkey must be completely thawed before you fry it. A frozen or partially frozen turkey will cause oil to splatter.
- Continually check the temperature of your oil with a cooking thermometer. Turkey fryers over heat easily and this can start a fire.
- Remember that handles, lid, and the pot of the fryer will be extremely hot. Do not handle any part of the fryer without long cooking gloves that will protect both your hands and arms.
There are many safer ways to cook a turkey than in a fryer. If you choose to fry your turkey make sure that you follow every safety precaution to ensure that you do not put you or your family’s lives or homes at risk.
Safety Tips
NFPA suggests that you:
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
- Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.
- Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. 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 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.
- Keep matches and utility lighters out of reach of children – up high in a locked cabinet.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
The holidays are a wonderful time of year to share delicious food with friends and family. Make sure that you are following the proper safety procedures when you are cooking to ensure that you and your family and friends have a safe holiday season.