Be #FDNYSmart When Cooking This Thanksgiving

Hi Friends, it’s Hot Dog here. Thanksgiving is coming and it’s time to celebrate with family, friends and food!

But it’s also a time to be safe as we celebrate with loved ones. Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries. Unattended cooking accounts for one third of these fires.  Did you know more cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving Day than any of the day of the year.

It’s important to be #FDNYSmart this Thanksgiving. Here are some tips to keep you safe while you prepare your delicious feasts!

• Stay in the kitchen. Don’t leave cooking food unattended.  Get more tips here.
• Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves. Long sleeves are more likely to catch on fire or get caught on pot handles. Get more tips here.
• Keep the area around the stove clear of towels, papers, potholders and anything that can burn.
• Cook at indicated temperature settings rather than higher settings.
• Keep a pot lid nearby to smother a pan fire. Do not attempt to pick up the pot or pan. Shut off the heat and cover the fire with a lid.
• Do not use water. It will cause splashing and spread the fire.
• Treat burns immediately with cool running water.

During Thanksgiving, some people decide to use deep fryers for their turkeys and other delicious treats. But deep fryers are actually considered a fire risk that can cause serious injury. That’s because the turkey is placed in hot oil and may spill from the fryer onto the burner to cause a fire. Another danger is that the hot oil can spill on somebody nearby.

If you do decide to use a deep fryer here are some safety tips:

• Do not use fryers in a garage.
• Never let children near the fryer, even when it’s not in use.
• Never leave the fryer unattended.
• Do not overfill the fryer.
• Use safety goggles to protect your eyes and always use potholders or oven mitts when handling the fryer.
• Make sure the turkey is completely thawed.
• Keep a fire extinguisher near the fryer.
• Do not use water to put out a grease fire.

You can read more about the dangers of a deep fryer here.

I do hope you stay #FDNYSmart this Thanksgiving! For more safety tips you can read our flash facts here.  Don’t forget to follow Siren and Hot Dog on Twitter. Happy Thanksgiving friends!