Preventing Fires This Thanksgiving Holiday

11/20/2018 (Permalink)

SERVPRO^© of Mankato / Owatonna wishes everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Did you know?

Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires and can sometimes be due to turkey cooking methods.

When frying foods, you can increase the risk of a cooking fire.

Keep in mind of the potential dangers of deep frying a turkey:

• Turkey fryers can easily tip over spilling hot oil across a large area. Use your turkey fryer only outdoors on a sturdy, level surface away from things that can burn.
• Make sure to have a “3-foot kid- and pet-free zone” around your turkey fryer to protect against burn injuries.
• An overfilled cooking pot will cause oil to spill over when the turkey is placed inside.
• Determine the correct amount of oil needed by first placing the turkey in the pot with water.

• A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter. Make sure your turkey is completely thawed before you fry it.

• Turkey fryers can easily overheat and start a fire. Check the temperature often with a cooking thermometer so the oil won’t overheat.

• The pot, lid and handles of a turkey fryer can get dangerously hot and cause burn injuries. Use long cooking gloves that protect hands and arms when you handle these items.

For more information and free fire-safety resources, visit www.usfa.fema.gov.