MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Each Thanksgiving, we anticipate a perfectly cooked turkey waiting on the dinner table like so many cooking shows, magazines and television commercials promise. Unfortunately, many of us do not have the cooking talents of a celebrity chef – or their support team.
That’s why many of us turn to deep-frying our turkeys. With a turkey fryer, what used to take several hours now takes about 45 minutes. However, we must ask ourselves if we’re willing to trade safety for convenience.
Insurance company statistics show that more grease and cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. The National Fire Protection Association reports an average of five deaths, 60 injuries and more than $15 million in property damage each year. Also, the highly recognizable Underwriters Laboratories feels so strongly about the risks associated with turkey fryers, they will not certify them.
Even armed with this information, some of us will proceed to use a turkey fryer to prepare our birds. With that in mind, the Moody Fire Prevention Office staff recommends you consider using the newer type of “oil-less” turkey fryer to achieve a perfectly cooked turkey. However, if you choose to use a traditional oil fryer, the Fire Prevention Staff urges you to be fully aware of the hazards and crucial safety information for a safe holiday.
If you are still planning to deep-fry your turkey, please follow these tips to avoid fire and injury:
- Do not use homemade fryers, always purchase factory-built units
- Do not use your fryer on a wooden deck, inside your house or garage, or near combustible materials
- Do not use your fryer near buildings or on uneven or hazardous surfaces
- Always make sure the fryer is attended by a trained person
- Keep all pets and children away from the fryer before, during and after use
- Do not overfill your fryer with oil
- Always use leather gloves or pot holders when touching the unit or lid
- Do not fry a turkey that is still frozen or wet
- Do not plunge the turkey into the oil, lower it slowly (this could take up to one minute depending on size)
- Keep a multipurpose, or ABC, fire extinguisher nearby in case of fire
- Do not use water to extinguish a turkey fryer fire, it will cause the fire to spread
- If a fire occurs, immediately clear the area and call 911
If you have any questions regarding these or any other fire safety tips, contact the Fire Prevention Office at (229) 257-4410.