As New Yorkers get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) urges all to have a safe and happy holiday by taking some cooking safety precautions as holiday fires easily state in the kitchen.
For the past several years, New York State has led the country as one of the top states in home fire fatalities according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Traditionally, Pennsylvania and California are also in the top 3. Ahead of America’s favorite cooking holiday, FASNY will highlight the potential dangers of holiday cooking that New Yorkers need to be cautious of, and share some essential safety tips to ensure the holiday is memorable for the right reasons.
According to The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average for such incidents. Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths, and with families usually gathering in one home for the shared holiday, it can create extra distraction around the kitchen.
For many Americans, turkey is the key ingredient for a Thanksgiving meal. However, deep-frying a frozen turkey can be dangerous. Fryers that immerse the turkey in cooking oil at high temperatures pose a significant danger of hot oil being released or spilled during cooking, leading to devastating burns, other injuries, and fires yielding significant property destruction.
“New Yorkers should be able to enjoy their Thanksgiving with loved ones safely and comfortably,” said FASNY President Eugene Perry, “FASNY asks that all residents follow some simple steps and precautions to ensure all family, friends, and Thanksgiving turkeys are kept safe this holiday season.”
Below are the most common factors in home cooking fires and ways to avoid them:
- Unattended Cooking – the leading cause of fires in the kitchen: Stay in the kitchen while you are cooking food.
- Objects near the cooking catching fire: Clothing ignitions are a common cause of in-home cooking fire deaths. Keep the cooking area clean, and combustible materials away from your stovetop. Built-up grease, as well as oven mitts, food packaging, wooden utensils, towels, curtains, and other materials on or near the stove, can catch fire.
- Cooking equipment unintentionally turned on or not turned off: Check the stove regularly during holidays to ensure the stove is off including any other cooking appliances.
- Hot cooking oil exposed to water or outdoor elements: If rain or snow strikes hot cooking oil in propane-fired turkey fryers designed for outdoor use, the result can be a splattering of the hot oil or a conversion of the precipitation to steam, which can lead to burns. Frozen and defrosting turkeys also create the risk of contact between water and hot cooking oil, which can cause severe scalding or other serious injury.
In the case of a fire FASNY reminds:
- Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
- Have an exit plan and common rendezvous point.
- Call 911 or the local emergency number after you leave.
- For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
If a grease fire does occur, do not use water to put it out. Use an appropriate fire extinguisher, baking soda or salt. Keep a tight lid nearby when cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
