TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - With Thanksgiving being the number one day for home cooking fires, a Florida official offered seven safety tips to avoid a holiday disaster.
“While holidays are filled with laughter and family memories, any firefighter can tell you how quickly they can become a disaster,” said Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis.
“Although you can’t completely eliminate your fire risk, there are simple steps to take to avoid a tragedy.”
He offered these tips:
- If you fry a turkey, do it away from the home. Put the turkey fryer the farthest you can from your home and keep it on a level surface. The smallest spark can ignite a fire.
- Thaw the bird completely when frying. Ice or water mixed with hot oil is a major fire hazard.
- Don’t overfill the fryer. Filling the fryer to the top with oil can cause oil to spill over and ignite.
- Monitor the oil temperature. When cooking oil is heated beyond its smoke point it can catch fire.
- Get a fire extinguisher. A Class K (kitchen type) or grease-rated extinguisher is the best option. Never leave the fryer unattended.
- Pay attention to the stove. Turn in handles of pots on the stove to avoid scalding hot food from spilling.
- Check the kitchen floors. Keep the kitchen free from toys and pets to avoid accidents.
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