As we prepare to celebrate one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, the team here at Insurors Associates Southeast would like to give thanks to you, our wonderful community of friends and family. Whether you are a client, co-worker, or a part of our fantastic support team, we are very grateful for your friendship.
I know that many of you share in the feeling when I say that my favorite part of the day’s festivities, other than watching the parade and football with family, is the food! The focal point of many dinner tables around the country will be the turkey. Every family has their own traditions when it comes to preparing their bird, roasting, smoking, or frying. While each one of these methods makes for a delicious turkey, there are a few things to keep in mind so that you can enjoy the most of your Thanksgiving holiday and avoid catastrophe.
Many people will tell you that deep frying your turkey is the best method to keep your turkey from drying out. But if it is done incorrectly, you could be left drying out everything after a visit from your neighborhood fire department. Each year from 2011 to 2013, an estimated 2,100 houses fires were reported on Thanksgiving Day in the United States. These fires caused an estimated 10 deaths, 50 injuries, and more than $28 million dollars in damages to property.
If you plan on deep frying your turkey, we hope that you take a moment to read through some safety tips to avoid an accident.
- Stay Away from The House– Set up the turkey fryer more than 10 feet away from your home and keep children and pets away. Never leave it unattended.
- Find Flat Ground– The oil must be even and steady at all times to ensure safety. Place the fryer on a flat, level surface and carefully gauge the amount of oil needed.
- Use a Thawed and Dry Turkey– Make sure your Thanksgiving turkey is completely thawed and dry. Extra water will cause the oil to bubble furiously and spill over. If oil spills from the fryer onto the burner, it can cause a fire.
- Monitor the Temp– Use caution when touching the turkey fryer. The lid and handle can become very hot and could cause burns. Also, be sure to keep track of the oil’s temperature as many fryers do not have their own thermostats.
- Be Prepared– Have a fire extinguisher (multipurpose, dry-powder) ready at all times in the event that the oil ignites.
We hope that you and your family have a safe and wonderful holiday.