Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue offers safety tips this Thanksgiving

Reno, NV, Nov. 18, 2022 – We want our Washoe County families to have a safe Thanksgiving and holiday season.  Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment.

Here are some tips to follow that will assure the safety of you and your loved ones this Thanksgiving:

• Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
• Deep Frying turkey – Make sure the turkey is completely thawed before it is placed in a fryer.
• Never leave the fryer unattended because, without thermostat controls, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire. 
• Never use a fryer on a wooden deck, under a patio cover, in a garage or enclosed space.
• Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away.
• Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
• Keep knives out of the reach of children.
• Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.
• Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.
• Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
• Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.
• Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas Day, Christmas Eve, and the day before Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving Day had more than three times as many fires when compared to a typical day in the U.S., according to the NFPA.

In 2019, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 1,400 home cooking fires on Thanksgiving, the peak day for such fires.  Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.  Cooking equipment was involved in almost half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths.

On behalf of the firefighters and staff at Truckee Meadows Fire & Rescue, we wish our residents a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. We are thankful to serve you!

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