By BURTON SPEAKMAN
GLASGOW — Travel and cooking concerns are among the top safety issues associated with the Thanksgiving holiday.
Thanksgiving is the leading day for home cooking fires, according to the National Fire Protection Agency. Firefighters in the U.S. responded to about 1,300 home fires involving cooking equipment in 2007, roughly three times the daily average.
Unattended cooking was the leading contributing factor to these fires, according to the NFPA. The second most common cause was something that could catch fire was too close to cooking equipment and items unintentionally turned on or not turned off the third most common cause.
The key to keeping safe is simply following instructions and being careful, said Glasgow Fire Chief Bobby Bunnell. Locally the department has been fortunate and there haven’t been a large number of incidents around Thanksgiving.
“We don’t fit the pattern,” he said. “I’m not going to complain about that at all.”
One of the more dangerous Thanksgiving cooking methods is deep frying a turkey.
The key is to make sure to cook in a safe area, make sure you have a lid and follow the instructions including how much oil to use, Bunnell said.
“We want every to have a safe and happy holiday,” he said.
At home people need to pay attention to what they are doing and don’t leave cooking equipment one, he said.
Kitchens aren’t the only location that people need to be careful around the Thanksgiving holiday. Wednesday afternoon is one of the busiest travel days of the year, said Trooper Charles Swiney, from Kentucky State Police in Bowling Green.
The traffic load on Interstate 65 will be very heavy heading in both directions, he said.
“People just need to be careful and remember to take their time,” Swiney said.
In addition, KSP will being conducting a seat belt campaign in Hart County, he said. The goal of the effort is to further promote safety by ensuring that people wear their seat belts.
Safety Tips
National Fire Protection Agency safety tips include:
• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
• Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
• When in doubt, just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 911 or the local emergency number after you leave.
