When Auxiliary Post 283 members visited Fire Station 23 and 69 on November 23, Captains and firefighters made the following holiday safety recommendations.
Check smoke alarms for proper function and replace batteries if needed.
One obvious tip was “No outside fires.”
And for Thanksgiving it was recommended that “know what you’re doing if you’re deep frying a turkey,” and that includes:
- Make sure that your turkey fryer is on a sturdy, level surface and do not move it once in use.
- Make sure it is at least 10 feet from your home—do not use it in a garage, under a patio cover or on a wooden deck.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed, because a partially frozen turkey will cause cooking oil to splatter.
- Because deep fryers can overheat oil to the point of starting a fire, if the fryer does not have a thermostat, use a kitchen thermometer.
Also, with December rapidly approaching, and if you have a live tree, “Remember to water your Christmas trees,” firefighters said.
Captain Jeff Brown at Station 69 offered these specific tips. “I’ve been doing this for 36 years” and he knows the cause of the most common holiday fires.
He recommends don’t use the old lights, particularly those that don’t have a fuse on the string. If lights short out and there’s no fuse, it can start a fire.
“Don’t overload extension cords,” Brown said.
And really important, “Holiday candles should not be left unattended,” Brown said, and explained that many people buy a candle and then put it on a wood surface. “It should be placed in a candle holder.”
After the holidays, do not burn your tree in the fireplace or a wood stove. The resulting creosote buildup can possibly ignite and cause a house fire.