FDNY- Thanksgiving Cooking Safety

[Share]Published: November 26, 2014

Thanksgiving Cooking Safety

The FDNY wishes you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving! Be sure your holiday is a safe one, by following these simple tips when you cook:

Plan Ahead

• Wear short or tight fitting sleeves – loose sleeves can catch fire or snare on handles.
• Regularly clean your cooking equipment.
• Keep the area around your stove clear anything that could burn, like towels, papers, pot holders.

While Cooking

• Stay in the kitchen and do not get distracted.
• Keep kids at least three feet away from the stove.
• Turn pot handles toward the wall to prevent overturning or spills.
• Cook all items at indicated temperature settings.

If there is a Pot or Pan Fire

• Shut off the heat.
• Have a pot lid or baking soda nearby to smother the fire.
• Do not attempt to pick up or move the pot or pan.
• Do not use water. It causes splashing that will spread the fire.

Turkey Fryers
Use extreme caution when using turkey fryers, which are very dangerous. Safety concerns include:

• As the turkey is placed in the hot oil, it can spill from the fryer onto the burner and cause a fire.
• They can easily tip over, spilling hot oil onto people nearby.
• They do not have an automatic thermostat and can easily overheat, causing a fire.
• The lid and handles get overly hot and may cause serious burns.
• Frozen or partially-frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover.

Get more Thanksgiving fire safety tips at www.fdnyfiresmart.org.