“Thanksgiving is a festive but hectic holiday, where people
are often preparing several dishes at once. They’re also entertaining friends
and family with lots of other potential distractions,” said Lorraine Carli,
NFPA’s vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “These factors all contribute
to the increased likelihood of home cooking fires and underscore the importance
of being extra vigilant in the kitchen.”
According to NFPA, cooking is the leading cause of reported
home fires year-round, accounting for nearly half of all US home fires (48
percent) and reported home fire injuries (45 percent), as well as one-fifth (21
percent) of home fire deaths. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of home
cooking fires and fire deaths; 15 percent of the fatalities are attributed to
clothing ignitions.
Carli says awareness can play a critical role in keeping
Thanksgiving fire-free. “Knowing where potential cooking hazards exist and
taking basic precautions to prevent them can go a long way toward ensuring a
fire-safe holiday.”
NFPA offers the following tips and recommendations for
cooking safely this Thanksgiving:
•Never leave food cooking on the stovetop unattended,
especially when frying and sautéing with oil. Stay in your home while the
turkey is cooking and check on it frequently.
•Use a timer to keep track of cooking times, most notably
when simmering, baking, or roasting foods that require longer cook times. Check
the stove or oven frequently.
•Consider putting timers in different rooms so you can hear
them over music and party chatter.
•Keep things that can catch fire like oven mitts, wooden
utensils, food wrappers, and towels well away (a minimum of three feet) from
the cooking area.
•Push up shirt sleeves and avoid wearing billowy clothing
that may come in contact with open flames or other heat sources.
•Avoid cooking when drinking alcohol, using other
substances, or if you’re sleepy.
•Make sure children stay at least three feet away from all
cooking areas, hot food, and liquids to avoid burns.
Also, NFPA discourages the use of turkey fryers, which can
lead to devastating burns, other injuries, and property damage. NFPA strongly
suggests looking instead to grocery stores, specialty food retailers, and
restaurants that sell deep-fried turkeys as a safe alternative.
For this release and other announcements about NFPA
initiatives, research and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.
About the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global self-funded nonprofit
organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss
due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers
information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards,
research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with
others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more
information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed
online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.
