Everyone loves a delicious holiday meal, but it can also increase the risk for home fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires.
The Queen Creek Fire and Medical Department (QCFMD) offers the following cooking safety tips to help reduce the risk of fire this Thanksgiving:
- Keep anything that can catch fire away from the stove top (oven mitts, food packaging, etc.).
- Stay in the kitchen when frying, grilling or boiling food. If you must leave the room, turn off the stove.
- Be sure to thaw the turkey completely before cooking.
- Keep kids at least 3 feet away from the stove, oven, hot food and liquids.
- If you have a pan fire, place a lid on the pan and turn off the burner. Never throw water or use a fire extinguisher on a pan fire.
- If the fire does not go out or you don’t feel comfortable sliding a lid over the pan, get everyone out of your home. Call the fire department from outside.
For more cooking tips from QCFMD to help keep the Thanksgiving holiday safe, visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/SafetyTips.
Thanksgiving is a great time to take advantage of the town’s free cooking oil recycling program. The used oil is collected and turned into clean biodiesel fuel. Collection containers are available year-round at the Queen Creek Recycle Center, located at 22638 S. Ellsworth Road, and Fire Station 2, located at 24787 S. Sossaman Road. Visit QueenCreekAZ.gov/CookingOil to learn more about the program.
