Insurance Commish Miguel Chaney issued the following statement.
Unattended cooking has caused six fire deaths so far this year statewide. That’s up slightly from four cooking fire related deaths in 2019. However, the numbers are down from 12 cooking fire related deaths in 2018.
“Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires,” said State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney. “Pay attention while cooking and never leave cooking food unattended. Make your home safer by installing multiple smoke alarms and ask your local fire department for help if you need smoke alarms.”
Use these safety tips from the State Fire Marshal’s Office when preparing your Thanksgiving meal:
· Be on alert. If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stovetop or oven.
· Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, baking, or broiling food. Always stand by your pan.
· If you must leave the kitchen for even a short amount of time, turn off the stove.
· If you are simmering, baking, boiling or roasting food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that the stove or oven is on.
· Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking. Loose clothing can catch fire if it gets too close to a gas flame or electric burner.
No kids allowed
· Keep kids away from cooking areas by enforcing a "kid-free zone" of 3 feet around the stove.
· If you have young children, use the stove's back burners whenever possible.
· Turn pot handles inward to reduce the risk that pots will be knocked over.
· Never hold a small child while cooking.
Keep it clean
· Keep anything that can catch fire—pot holders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, towels or curtains—away from your stovetop.
· Clean up food and grease from burners and the stovetop.
If you have a fire
· Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
· Call 911 after you leave. Be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
· Keep a lid nearby to smother small grease fires, pan and pot 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 using a turkey fryer
· Fryers should be used outdoors, a safe distance from buildings and any other flammable materials.
· Some turkey fryers are designed for indoor use. If you use one of these, follow manufacturer directions carefully.
· Never use a fryer in a garage or on a wooden deck.
· Make sure fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.
· Never leave the fryer unattended. If you do not watch the fryer carefully, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.
· Never let children or pets near the fryer even if it is not in use. The oil inside can remain dangerously hot hours after use.
· To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.
· Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts when touching pot or lid handles. If possible, wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from oil splatter.
· Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dried before cooking. Be careful with marinades, because oil and water do not mix, and water causes oil to spill over causing a fire or even an explosion hazard.
· The U.S. Dept. of Agriculture recommends you thaw a turkey 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds.
· Keep an all-purpose fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.
· The Mississippi State Fire Marshal’s Office recommends, when using a propane fryer, using a hose at least 6 feet long to distance the propane tank from the fryers flame.
10 comments:
Another reminder that more than half the population of this land are blessed with below average IQ.
We have a new pup at home. This 6-month-old is now quite capable of standing up on her hind legs and pulling items off of the counter.
Please watch any food (especially hot food in hot dishes) for your pet's safety.
She almost grabbed a fully cooked chicken sitting in a 350-degree pan the other day.
Just sharing what could have been a bad accident.
Doesn't this call for a cooking ban?
" Be on alert. If you have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stovetop or oven. "
Sage advice.
This especially applies to amateur backyard cooks trying to fry a turkey.
Bubba: " The oil is ready, it's over 500 degrees.
Bo Bob: "Your wife said it ain't thawed-out yet"
Bubba: " we don't need to thaw no frozen butterball turkey . . . hold my beer".
Now insert the sounds of an explosion, screams, along with firetruck & ambulance sirens.
2:44, sounds like you need to start a training and discipline regimen. A 6 month old dog should understand what 'NO' means and know what the consequences and repercussions are.
Raising dogs is like raising kids. You have to get their attention early in life. If you don't you will have problems later.
Pro tip: A high output propane burner and hot oil can't be handled safely by the "hold my beer and watch this" crowd.
Add a frozen bird and the usual adult beverages and you get some folks who will have a hard time figgering how to cipher archimedian displacement in advance of the disaster.
I well remember, not long ago, when every year we would hear about single moms who decided to go clubbing and left the kids unattended in the trailer and one or more perished in a fire.
Either that sort of thing came to a halt or Chaney no longer reports it to the public. I'm going with the latter.
You can't fix stupid, especially in the Mississippi Delta.
Dogs are outside animals.
Period.
Why do they call him "Insurance Commissioner"? He has nothing to do with insurance, his only contributions are fire extinguisher checks. Insurance companies are running amuck while he is tunneling through crawl spaces to check for fire hazards. Call him Fire Commissioner.
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