(OCALA, FL.) November 20, 2023 – Cooking is the biggest cause of home fires and fire injuries, and Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. Whether you’re making the stuffing or the bird itself, following these tips from Ocala Fire Rescue will help keep your Thanksgiving dinner delicious and safe.

• Make your cooking area safe. Remove things that can burn from the stove. Turn pot handles toward the back so that they can’t be bumped.
• Watch what you’re cooking. Use a timer when roasting a turkey or baking pies.
• Be prepared. Keep a large pan lid or baking sheet handy in case you need to smother a pan fire.
• Stay awake and alert while you’re cooking. If you see smoke or the grease starts to boil in your pan, turn the burner off.
• Prevent burns. Wear short sleeves when you cook or roll up your long sleeves. Don’t lean over the burners. Use potholders and oven mitts to handle hot cookware.

Furthermore, mind your safety if you opt for deep-frying your turkey. Although, deep-frying turkeys has become popular in recent years, this cooking method has many risks – including contact burns, tip overs/ hot cooking oil spills, and fires, among others.

If you deep-fry a turkey, place the fryer outside on a flat surface that can’t burn, such as cement. Place the fryer several feet from anything that can catch fire. Don’t let children or pets come anywhere near it. An adult should watch the fryer while it cooks. Use a fryer with thermostat controls. Without these controls, the oil can heat to the point of catching fire. Thaw the turkey completely before cooking it so that ice crystals won’t splatter the hot oil. Use potholders and oven mitts when handling the turkey.

There’s nothing more satisfying than cooking a good meal for the people we love. Make safety a priority in your kitchen at Thanksgiving and all year long.

For additional fire safety and burn prevention information, follow us on Facebook, @OcalaFireRescue.

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