OOLITIC – Thanksgiving is a time for relaxation and spending time with loved ones, but the holiday can become dangerous in an instant. The Oolitic Volunteer Fire Department and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security want you to remember what it takes to have a safe holiday.
Thanksgiving Day ranks as the No. 1 day of the year when home cooking fires occur, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that more than 200 turkey-fryer incidents have occurred in the last two decades, resulting in almost $10 million in property loss, and the National Safety Council estimated 515 people died in car accidents during the 2021 Thanksgiving weekend.
Follow some basic tips to help keep the holiday fun and safe for everyone.
Quick Tips
- Stay in the kitchen while cooking food on a stovetop, and stay at home while food is in the oven.
- Have a fully stocked emergency vehicle kit in case your car breaks down while traveling.
- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher near the kitchen, and do not use water to put out a grease fire.
Food is a major aspect of nearly every Thanksgiving celebration. Before the feast begins, keep the following cooking safety information in mind.
- Stay in the kitchen while cooking food on the stovetop, and stay at home while food is in the oven. Unattended cooking is the most common contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths (NFPA).
- Remove items from the stovetop that could catch fire, such as oven mitts, utensils, towels and food packages.
- Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the stove to avoid burns from the appliance or spilled food.
- Deep fryers should always be used outdoors at a safe distance from buildings, porches and any other flammable materials.
- Never leave a fryer unattended.
- Make sure that meat is completely thawed before being cooked in a fryer, or else a grease fire could occur.
- Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby and never use water to douse a grease fire.
- If a fire is too large to address safely, evacuate the home and call 911.
