The day of giving thanks is upon us. Everyone has reasons to say thank you and here at Shrewsbury Fire we wish you all a safe and quiet Thanksgiving. Members of Station 61 hopefully will not have to leave family gatherings to provide care to you but if the call comes, we will be there.
Today, the day before Thanksgiving, is the busiest travel day in the US. Everyone is asked to drive with due regard to others. Obey speed limits and try to keep safe distances from each other. The turkey will be on your plate and hopefully not behind the wheel of your cars. Plan ahead for delays and drive to survive.
Thanksgiving Day calls for meals and family gatherings. Preparation for the feast is already in progress. Keep a watchful eye on your stoves and other cooking/preparation devices. Stove fires and outside deep fryers are the leading cause of fire calls on Thanksgiving. Keep kids away from stove tops and do not overload receptacles with multiple crockpots, warmers and other electrical cooking devices.
Specific safety cautions go out for turkey deep fryers. NEVER use them inside a garage or home. They are to be used outside and away from the home. The turkey MUST be fully thawed before placing it in the fryer. FOLLOW instructions with the fryer paying attention to the amount of oil placed in the pot as well as cooking times. These fryers are useful however if used incorrectly they will cause severe burns and could catch your home on fire.
Emergency Services personnel, both career and volunteer, will be on call responding to incidents Thanksgiving Day. We hope the calls are few and minor. Happy Thanksgiving Day to all and keep in your prayers those who serve our communities and our country and cannot be with families.
https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Thanksgiving
https://www.pbs.org/food/features/five-safety-tips-for-deep-frying-turkey/
https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/15-turkey-fryer-safety-tips