Jan Doherty, Public Education Officer, No Phone Number Available
Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 9:15 a.m.
Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without the delightful smell of freshly cooked turkey wafting in from the kitchen. The Spokane Fire Department wants to help you ensure that iconic Thanksgiving smell isn't replaced with the stench of smoke from a dangerous cooking fire.
Cooking is the leading cause of home structure fires and fire injuries, making up 43 percent of all reported home fires and 38 percent of fire injuries in the U.S. Cooking fires peak on holidays with traditions of cooking, especially Thanksgiving.
If you're cooking your thanksgiving dinner at home, please heed the following safety tips to help keep your family safe and avoid cooking fires.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) discourages the use of gas-fueled turkey fryers. Let's face it, many foods taste better fried, but turkey fryers greatly increase the chance of injury while cooking. Fried turkey is not worth the risk of causing serious harm to yourself or loved ones. To those who prefer their turkey fried, the NFPA recommends trying new “oil-less turkey fryers” or checking local grocery stores and specialty food retailers.
Keep these tips in mind while cooking this Thanksgiving and all year round to help make Spokane safer. For more information about cooking safety tips, contact Fire Prevention at 509.625.7058 or JDoherty@spokanecity.org.
