Safety tips for deep frying a Thanksgiving turkey, and more
BABYLON, N.Y. - It's go-time in kitchens across the nation as Thanksgiving meals are being prepared.
Monday there were words of caution from fire experts and doctors about the hazards of holiday cooking.
CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reports on the dos and don'ts from Long Island.
It can happen when best intentions go terribly wrong: A house burned down in North Babylon from a Thanksgiving turkey improperly fried.
Fire marshals showed Gusoff the right way to deep fry a turkey, slowly lowering it into 350 degree oil. Any hotter could be risky.
"It can actually auto-ignite. It can actually go on fire, spontaneously ignite," said Chief Suffolk County Fire Marshal Don Lynch.
Use a fryer away from any part of the house, children and pets.
"Ten feet away from a structure on a level surface so the pot does not tip over," Lynch said.
The wrong way? Deep frying a turkey that's not completely thawed out and dry, inside and out. Leave out to thaw one day for every 4-5 pounds of turkey, or else.
"You're looking at a call to 911 instead of going in the house and celebrating the holiday with your family," Lynch said.
Every year across the U.S., deep fryers cause five deaths, 60 injuries and 900 house fires.
"Nowhere in a structure is it ever safe to fry a turkey," said Town of Babylon Assistant Chief Fire Marshal Anthony Cardali.
Another potentially disastrous mistake? Trying to use a garden hose to put out a fire. Water will only spread the flammable oil.
Invest in a class K fire extinguisher, like restaurants have, and call 911.
Beware of splattering, too. In the kitchen, never leave anything on the stove unattended.
"Pretty much going back to junior high home ec. We want to make sure we stay in the kitchen with whatever we are cooking," said Babylon Councilman Terrence McSweeney. "Keep pot handles so they are not within reach of kids... make sure your smoke detectors work."
Doctors at Northwell Go-Health Urgent Care say cuts are common Thanksgiving hazards. Use pressure to stop bleeding.
"However, if you've tried that and you're noticing bleeding hasn't stopped in a day or two, is getting redder the area, or warmer," said Dr. Shahd Hamarsha. "Those are signs of infection that should be treated."
For great leftovers, and good health, don't leave food out at room temperature for more than two hours.
