SOUTHWICK – As Thanksgiving quickly approaches, the Southwick Fire Chief offers some tips to his community about being safe when cooking their Thanksgiving meals.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, the greatest number of home cooking fires occur on Thanksgiving. On that day, 34% of fires are caused from equipment being unattended. Other causes include product misuse, abandoned material, and accidentally leaving cooking equipment on.
Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson goes by the Department of Massachusetts Fire Services motto, “Stand by Your Pan.” For Anderson, it’s a simple responsibility that can prevent a fire from happening.
Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson. (WNG File Photo)
“Many fires happen when cooking is left unattended, a small spill can turn into a major fire in little time,” said Anderson. “The key is to be there and stop the spill from becoming a larger fire.”
Since cooking turkeys is a staple on Thanksgiving, Anderson wants residents to remember that they need to keep an eye how the turkey is cooking, despite the process taking so long.
“As the turkey cooks, the oils come out of the turkey and can overfill the pan, spilling onto the burners and creating an oven fire,” said Anderson.
If the oven happens to catch fire, the fire chief gave three important tips:
– Leave the oven door closed! This starves the fire of oxygen
– Turn off the oven and allow the fire to burn out on its own
– If it does not go out on its own, leave the house and call 911
Another concern from Anderson is stove top cooking. If a pan happens to splatter and start on fire, the best way to stop it is to put a lid on the pan to cover it, effectively reducing the oxygen needed for a fire to remain active.
“We always recommend having an extinguisher nearby as well,” said Anderson.
For any information or concerns about Thanksgiving safety, contact the Southwick Fire Department at 413-569-6363.
