TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Thanksgiving is the number 1 day for house fires caused by cooking, and as colder weather sets in and holiday decorations go up, here's what Fire Protection specialists want you to keep in mind to help keep your family safe over the holidays.
- Every room should have a working smoke detector, every hallway should have a working carbon monoxide detector, and any kitchen or garage would benefit from a small fire extinguisher.
- Check to make sure your portable heater, power cords, and Christmas lights have markings that show they have been certified by a listed third-party tester to conform to U.S. safety codes.
- Never leave an open flame unattended, and keep 3 feet of space clear around candles and fireplaces to avoid catching nearby things on fire.
TOP SAFETY TIPS FROM THE NFPA:
- 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.
- 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 a 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.
(Below is the transcript from the broadcast story)
"We had six fire fatalities in Twin Falls County in the last three years and all six of those fatalities had either no detectors at all or non-functioning smoke detectors in their homes," Gabriel Hammett told Idaho News 6.
As Fire Marshal, Hammett spends his days figuring out what started fires in Twin Falls.
"It's important that we find the cause of all our fires because that is how we help make the community safer so that's kind of the connection to fire prevention is how can we prevent the fire if we don't know how it started," Hammett said.
Not surprisingly, Hammett says the leading cause of fires on Thanksgiving Day comes from home cooking.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2022, fire departments around the U.S. responded to 4x the number of home cooking fires than the daily average.
By now, most of us have seen the consequence of dropping a frozen turkey into hot fryer oil, but it's worth a reminder.
"Oil and water don't like each other and so when we are dropping turkey still that's frozen and maybe covered in ice even and you drop it in your frying oil, it's a volcano of fire," Hammet said.
Hammet said he's recently seen fires started by portable heaters and urges folks to make sure to get electrical devices that are listed and tested to meet U.S. Safety code.
"So, that could be your power strips, your surge protectors, extension cords, stuff like that which are made in countries of origin that have no standard for construction on those items," Hammett said.
A lot of these items are bought online at super deep discounts. To stay safe, Hammett says to check for a label on the package or on the item that says the item has been third-party tested.
"It could be anything from an extension cord to an electric blanket to a toaster," Hammett said.
Same thing goes for lights and other electronic decorations: there will be a label telling you how many strings of lights can safely be connected together.
"We need to break the habit of connecting a surge protector into a power strip, into another power strip, maybe another extension cord, to get around the back of the building and then hook up 20 sets of lights," Hammett said.
And as you're setting the holiday mood, remember to clear at least 3 feet of space around open flames like candles or fireplaces.
And as always, make sure your home has working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors in each hallway and bedroom.
