FASNY Gives Thanksgiving Cooking-Safety Tips

ALBANY — Cooking is the leading cause of home fires in the United States, and Thanksgiving sees many more fires than any other day of the year.

That’s the message the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York sends in advance to this Thursday’s holiday in hopes of helping New Yorkers stay safe.

National Fire Protection Association statistics show that 1,550 home fires occurred across the country on Thanksgiving in 2013, 230 percent above normal, a press release from FASNY said.

FIRE FACTORS

“To ensure a safe and happy holiday, FASNY asks all New Yorkers to exercise caution when preparing their Thanksgiving feasts,” President Robert McConville said in a statement.

Several factors come into play when it comes to cooking fires, the association warns:

• Unattended cooking is the leading cause of these types of fires.

Stay in the kitchen while making food, check on it regularly, turn off the stove when you leave the kitchen, stay at home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind yourself you are cooking.

• Objects in cooking areas sometimes catch on fire.

Clothing ignitions lead to 16 percent of home cooking fire deaths, the release said.

Wear “short, close-fitting or tightly rolled sleeves,” keep the cooking area clean, and keep combustible materials such as built-up grease, oven mitts and wooden utensils away from the stove top.

• Keep track of cooking equipment that can be unintentionally turned on or off.
• Turkey fryers and outdoor cooking present dangers.

Hot oil released or spilled during cooking could lead to devastating burns, other injuries or property destruction.

Rain or snow striking hot cooking oil in outdoor propane-fired turkey fryers could result in a splattering of oil or a conversion of precipitation to steam, leading to burns.

Frying frozen or defrosting turkeys also creates the risk of contact between water and hot cooking oil, which can result in severe scalding or other serious injury.

FASNY encourages people who do have a cooking fire to get out of the building, close the door behind them to contain the fire and then call 911.

When an oven fire occurs, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

Fire extinguishers, baking soda, salt or a tight lid should be used to put out a grease fire, not water.

Visit www.nfpa.org for more information on fire safety.