Truckee Meadows Fire wishes the community a safe Thanksgiving with holiday safety tips.

Thanksgiving Holiday Safety Tips

Reno, Nevada. Nov. 21, 2017. Thanksgiving Day is historically host to the most home cooking fires of the year. Truckee Meadows Fire shares tips to keep your celebration safe.

Thanksgiving, Christmas and the eves of both holidays are the busiest days of the year for cooking fires. That is no surprise given that most celebrations tend to have a house full of people, lots of distractions, and a number of cooking appliances going at any given time. U.S. fire departments responded to nearly 1,800 cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day in 2015. Unattended cooking is the leading contributor to cooking fires and fire deaths, and cooking equipment was involved in almost half of all reported home fires, making it the second leading cause of home fire deaths.

“As the temperatures drop and the holidays near, the types of fire emergencies we respond to transition from wildland fires and we begin seeing more structure fires,” Fire Chief Charlie Moore said. “People begin using portable heating devices and fireplaces, and with the holiday season we see a significant increase in cooking fires.”

Truckee Meadows Fire reminds residents that following a few safety tips can help you enjoy your celebration while keeping your loved ones safe from a fire.

• Stay in the kitchen while cooking, within eyesight of all active cooking appliances checking them regularly.

• Keep anything flammable such as wooden utensils and oven mitts a safe distance from any heat source.

• Keep children away from the stove, keep handles turned in and keep electric cords for crockpots, electric knives, etc. out of reach of children so that they cannot pull the item onto themselves.

• NEVER use water on a grease fire. It will only spread the flames and increase chances of injury or death. If you have a small grease fire, turn off the burner and smother the flames by sliding a lid or larger pan over the pan, or by dumping lots of baking soda on it.

• Always thaw a frozen turkey completely before frying it, and follow the manufacturer’s directions precisely when frying a turkey.

• Keep fryers well away from the structure or anything flammable, do not overfill a fryer or overheat a fryer and never use water near hot grease.

• Keep an appropriate fire extinguisher within reach of any heat source.

• Make sure your smoke alarms are in working order.

Following these simple tips will reduce the risk of fire and help prevent injury and death. Additional fire prevention information is available on our website.

Your Truckee Meadows Fire family wishes you and your loved ones a safe and happy holiday season!

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