GAINESVILLE - Every year at this time, fire officials issue warnings about taking extra care in the kitchen. They know that the number one cause of house fires is careless cooking, and they know that most burn injuries come from fires sparked by cooking. They also know the chance of those fires and injuries increases during Thanksgiving because so much of the holiday activity revolves around the kitchen.<br />
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Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle said the biggest problem is failure to pay attention to what's on the stove and in the oven.<br />
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"This time of year is really busy...we're doing numerous things at one time and we have way more people in our home than we usually do," said Cagle. "Number one [thing to do] is set a kid-free zone in your kitchen - no children grabbing at your waist or trying to grab at the pots and pans, make sure the handles are turned inward [on the stove top ] so the kids can't reach them."<br />
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He said it's also important not to leave the kitchen while something is cooking.<br />
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"Have someone manning the kitchen at all times," said Cagle, noting that it is easy to start visiting with friends and family and forget the task at hand. <br />
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"If you're not going to be in the kitchen, designate somebody to be in the kitchen and keep an eye on those pots and pans."<br />
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Cagle also said this is the season for people to use turkey fryers, devices that are so dangerous they don't have UL (Underwriters Laboratories) approval.<br />
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He said part of the problem is the fact that the fryers are not sturdy, and another issue is that people have a tendency to use them on wooden decks too close to their houses.<br />
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"The biggest problem is that people do not thaw out completely their turkey - it still has some ice on it or ice crystals inside where you can't see it - and then you add that to hot, boiling oil, it will overflow and start a fire that way," said Cagle.<br />
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He said Hall County has been fortunate the past couple of years and avoided such fires, but he said about three years ago he remembers a house that sustained heavy fire damage because of a turkey fire placed on the back deck of a home.<br />
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"We just say 'don't use them,'" said Cagle.<br />
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Of course, Cagle and fire officials all over the region know that there's always the possibility of a home fire. The best precaution is to be prepared in advance - make sure you have working smoke detectors in your home and have a planned escape route, making sure any house guests are aware of it. <br />
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And, should someone get a burn while cooking Thanksgiving dinner, then know how to treat the injury properly.<br />
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"Of course, call 9-1-1," said Cagle. "But we need to stop using those old home remedies if we do get burned. The best thing to put on a burn right when it happens is cool, running water out of the faucet - no mayonnaise, no butter, no Crisco."<br />
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For more information on this topic, check out the Hall County Fire Services web site. <i>(See link below.</i>
