Southfield Firefighters Stress Safety For Cooking And Travel For Thanksgiving Day

November 22 - Kitchen fires are three times more likely to occur on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year. Most Thanksgiving fires occur between noon and 4 p.m., the peak cooking time. Thanksgiving is also one of the busiest times of the year, with more than 50 million people traveling away from home.

With that in mind, your firefighters in Southfield are trying to make sure everyone enjoys their turkey dinner without us interfering.

A few extra moments of foresight can lead to a safer vacation. When it comes to preparing Thanksgiving dinner, it's important to remember that many of these fires can be easily avoided by staying up and cooking in the kitchen.

Many household food fires are caused by unattended equipment, discarded materials, a heat source left too close to combustible materials, improper handling of products, and improperly extinguished cooking equipment.

Turkey fryers that use large amounts of vegetable oil at high temperatures also present significant hazards and can lead to devastating burns, other injuries, and property damage.

If you have a fire, go outside and call 911 for help from your local fire department. Do not attempt to fight the fire yourself.

Thanksgiving is also a time when cooking-related burns increase. To avoid burns and scalds, cook in the back oven and make sure all pan handles point inwards so children can't touch them. Heating appliances such as clothes dryers should also be kept away from children. Keep a child-free zone of at least three feet around the stove and in areas where hot food or drinks are prepared or handled.

If the trip falls on the Thanksgiving holiday schedule, focus on driving. We understand that there are many distractions when traveling as a family, but paying more attention to the road is important to ensure a safe trip. This includes topping up your car's windshield washer fluid and checking your tire pressure. Firefighters inspect their fire engine before each shift and we encourage everyone to do the same with their engines before leaving.

Most importantly, always wear your seat belt, stay sober and do not use drugs while traveling. If there is a car accident, stay calm and make sure everyone in the car is safe. Then stay in the car and call 911, as getting out of the car can pose additional risks, especially on the freeway.

Your firefighters encourage you to cook and drive safely, but rest assured, if you need us, we're just a phone call away.

Happy Thanksgiving from Southfield Firefighters Association Local 1029!