‘Tis the season for food and family — and fire.
The U.S. Fire Administration identifies Thanksgiving as a peak day for fires, and local departments agree they often send more crews to residential fires during the holiday.
“It’s a cooking thing,” said Annetta Norwood, the fire and life safety educator at York County’s Department of Fire and Life Safety. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 71.6 percent of residential building fires on Thanksgiving are caused by cooking.
That might be because there are simply more people in the kitchen on Thanksgiving, said Lisa King, Public Education Coordinator in Newport News Fire Department’s prevention bureau.
“Even people who don’t normally cook, cook on Thanksgiving,” King said.
People tend to get distracted on Thanksgiving, Norwood said. Between hosting guests and cooking a meal they’re not used to cooking, fires are far more frequent. It’s tempting to leave a turkey in the oven and walk away, but she suggests people set a timer at 15-minute intervals.
“Just to get them back into the kitchen to turn it off and lay eyes on the stove,” she said.
One of the biggest problems, officials agree, is the turkey fryer.
“Frying is the biggie,” King said.
Anyone cooking with grease should remember not to fry a frozen turkey, and to keep a lid that matches the pot nearby. If a fire starts, the pot should be removed from heat and covered quickly. If a matching lid isn’t around to smother the fire, King suggests a cookie sheet.
Officials also suggest kids stay at least three feet from stove, and King recommends putting a sticker on the ground to designate a “no-cross” zone.
These statistics are consistent, Norwood said. The cooking fire trend has yet to ebb, she said.
“It’s always an uphill battle because people think it’s never going to happen to them,” she said.
“With all the disasters — tsunamis and hurricanes — a fire is one of those disasters that is virtually always preventable,” she said. “It’s just being aware and being attentive, especially when you’re cooking.”
Here are some more tips:
*When roasting a turkey, make sure juices and fillings don’t spill over onto anything hot.
*Stand by the stove when you’re frying, boiling or broiling to prevent spills and keep an eye on dangerous conditions.
*Keep the stove top clear of anything flammable.
*Clean spills as they happen.
*Keep pot handles and electrical cords away from the edge of the counter.
*Buy a fryer with a lower, four-legged base. That keeps it stable. The fryer should have thermostat controls so oil doesn’t overheat. Thaw the turkey completely and dry it before it’s submerged in hot oil. When the turkey goes in the fryer, put it in the pot and then add water. Then, take it out and note the water line. That’s the oil fill line. Use the fryer outside, and wear fire-resistant gloves.
*Blow candles out before leaving the room.
*Don’t throw away hot ashes from the fireplace. Either wait for them to cool, or put them in a metal ash can.
*Make sure fireplaces have a screen so embers can’t escape.
Mishkin can be reached by phone at 757-641-6669.
