Traditional turkey cooking methods include the practice of deep-frying, and this method is inherently more dangerous than oven-based methods and can result in serious fire- and burn-injury related accidents.
The hazards of turkey frying are multi-dimensional with combustible liquid fires, propane fires, severe contact-burns and other fire-related injuries possible.
Follow these safety tips from the Bakersfield Fire Department to ensure your Thanksgiving goes off without a hitch:
- Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors at a safe distance from structures.
- Never use fryers under patio covers, on wooden decks or in garages
- Use fryers on flat surfaces to reduce the possibility of accidental tipping
- Never leave the fryer unattended
- Keep children and pets away from the fryer at all times
- Do not overfill the fryer, it may result in a "spill-over" of hot oil
- Safety goggles and potholders or oven mitts should be used when utilizing the fryer
- Turkey must be completely thawed to avoid oil splattering and "boil-over"
- Turkey should be free of loose ice and water to avoid oil splattering and "boil-over"
- Choose a smaller (10-12 lbs) turkey to fry to reduce the potential for accidents
- Never use water to extinguish a grease fire - use an all-purpose fire extinguisher
