Macon-Bibb Fire Department encourages safe turkey frying this holiday season
The Macon-Bibb County Fire Department wants to remind Middle Georgians to take proper safety measures to make sure their turkey frying goes off without incident.
MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — The Macon-Bibb County Fire Department wants to remind Middle Georgians to take proper safety measures to make sure their turkey frying goes off without incident.
Their first piece of advice? Keep your distance.
“When you’re deep frying turkeys, you want to make sure you’re a safe distance from your house,” fire safety director Jeremy Webb said Monday. You don’t want to fry turkeys indoors. You don’t want to fry turkeys under your garage, over patios, decks, things of that nature. You want to be at least ten feet from your structure. Make sure you are clear of any overhead obstructions and things of that nature.”
The fire department also says to be sure you’re on flat ground when you’re deep frying turkeys. You should also make sure your turkey is properly thawed before you put it into the fryer. It’s also recommended to make sure your oil is not overfilled, propane tanks and fuel lines are examined for leaks and that a certified fire extinguisher is on hand nearby in case of an emergency.
“During Thanksgiving, we see an increase of fires caused by improper turkey frying, so if this is your first time doing it, you want to get with someone who is more so familiar with doing that definitely,” Webb added. “If you have any type of experience with a type of fire catching, definitely call 911 immediately.”
One thing the fire department says that’s often overlooked when deep frying turkeys is that sometimes the insides of the turkey may still have all of the wrappings and things in them so be sure to take everything out beforehand and double-check that your turkey is properly prepped and ready to go.
For those who would like references online, the Macon-Bibb Fire Department recommends checking out the National Fire Protection Association’s official website. You can also check out the Macon-Bibb Fire Department’s official Facebook page where they post daily tips.
