Friday March 29th, 2024 4:09AM

Gainesville fire officials remind cooks to be cautious on Thanksgiving

GAINESVILLE - Fire departments across our region are reminding people to use caution when cooking over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Gainesville Fire Division Chief Keith Smith said statistics show that Thanksgiving Day is problematic for fires in the kitchen.
 
"The number of cooking fires is on Thanksgiving day more than double what the average number of cooking fires are on every other day of the year," Smith said.
 
Those numbers are according to the U.S. Fire Administration.
 
Smith said a lot of the problem centers around the sheer volume of people in the kitchen.
 
"There are so many people, so many things going, ovens going, stoves going, crock pots going, so much stuff going that all it takes is for a second or two," Smith said.
 
Although Thanksgiving is a busy time in the kitchen, Smith said cooking in general is the main cause of residential fires and fire-related injuries.
 
 
 
The Gainesville Fire Department issued the following cooking safety tips.
  • Stand by your pan - if you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off
  • Keep an eye on what you fry -fires start when the heat is to high
  • Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove - preventing bumping or pulling them off
  • Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby - cover the pan if a fire starts
  • Wear shorts sleeves or roll sleeves up - no loose clothing
  • Use turkey fryers outdoors - never on a wooden deck or in a garage
  • Make sure there is a working smoke alarm on every level of your home. Gainesville residents can call 770-534-3612 to have a smoke alarm installed in your residence.

source: Gainesville Fire Department

© Copyright 2024 AccessWDUN.com
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.