North DSM News

City of Ankeny recently issued the following announcement.

With the holidays approaching, the Ankeny Fire Department would like to remind residents to stay safe in the kitchen this season. Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries, and most cooking fires in the home involve the stovetop. Thanksgiving is the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment. Be aware of the dangers of turkey fryers. Ankeny Fire Department discourages the use of turkey fryers.

The Ankeny Fire Department offers the following  safety tips to prevent kitchen fires and burns:

• Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.
• Be on alert! Don’t use the stove or stovetop if you are sleepy or tired.
• Attend to your cooking. Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, broiling, or boiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are baking, simmering, or roasting food, check it regularly and remain in the home while food is cooking. Use a timer to remind you that food is cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.

If you do have a small kitchen fire, and decide to fight the fire, do the following:

• On the stovetop, fight a small grease fire by sliding a lid or cookie sheet over the pan and turning off the burner. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
• For a microwave fire, keep the door closed, turn the microwave off, and unplug if able to.
• Make sure you have a working fire extinguisher in your house for small fires. Always be 6-8 feet away from the fire, and have your back to an exit. To use a fire extinguisher, remember PASS:

• Pull the pin to activate the handle lever
• Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire
• Squeeze the handle
• Sweep back and forth from side to side.

If you have any doubt about fighting a fire:

• Get your family out of the house. Close doors behind you as you leave to contain the fire.
• Call 911 from outside the home. In a multi-family residence, close the door behind you and activate the fire alarm system on your way out.

Thinking about frying your turkey for Thanksgiving? Follow these safety tips:

• Place your outdoor fryer on a level surface a safe distance from trees and other structures, do not use an outdoor fryer on your deck or in your garage.
• Make sure the turkey is thawed before cooking.
• Wear goggles and use oven mitts to protect yourself while cooking.
• Make sure you have a grease rated fire extinguisher close by. Do not use water or a garden hose on a turkey fryer fire.
• If you’re using a propane-powered fryer, make sure there is at least two feet between the tank and the burner.
• Do not overfill your fryer with oil, follow manufacturer recommendations for filling your fryer with oil.
• Turn off the burner before lowering your turkey into the fryer, once the turkey is submerged, turn the burner on.
• Never leave a fryer unattended.
• Once finished, carefully remove the pot from the burner, place it on a level surface and cover to let the oil cool overnight before disposing.
• Dispose of the used oil safely, learn more about the Metro Waste Authority hazardous waste drop-offs in Grimes or Bondurant!

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

Original source can be found here.