The officers and members of the Hampstead Volunteer Fire Company would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving. We are very thankful for our volunteers and Department of Fire & EMS career staff who serve their communities day in and day out. As you enjoy time with the family over the holiday season, we would like to remind you of some Thanksgiving (and year-round) fire safety tips.

DID YOU KNOW...
- Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires with more than three times the daily average for such incidents.
- Christmas Day and Christmas Eve ranked second and third, with both having nearly twice the daily average.
- Unattended cooking was by far the leading contributing factor in cooking fires and fire deaths.
- Cooking causes half (52%) of all reported home fires and nearly two of every five (36%) home fire injuries, and it is a leading cause of home fire deaths (17%).
- On Thanksgiving day alone, an estimated 1,610 home cooking fires were reported to U.S fire departments in 2022, reflecting a 399 percent increase over the daily average

Source: NFPA Research

GENERAL SAFETY TIPS:
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.
- Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently.
- Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay three feet away.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.
- Never leave children alone in room with a lit candle.
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.

TURKEY FRYER SAFETY TIPS:
If you plan on using a turkey fryer, please follow these safety guidelines:
- Always use the fryer outdoors on a flat surface, safely away from structures, wooden decks, and covered patios. No matter what, DO NOT be tempted to use the fryer in a garage.
- Have the correct kind of fire extinguisher nearby and ready to use.
- To ensure you are using the right amount of oil, place a thawed turkey in the fry pot and add enough water to cover the bird by ½". Remove the turkey and mark the water level. Dump the water and thoroughly dry the pot and turkey. Fill the pot with oil to the marked level.
- Do not leave the fryer unattended. Monitor the temperature of the oil with a thermometer to prevent the oil from overheating and catching fire. If the oil begins to smoke, immediately turn the gas off.
- Ensure the turkey is COMPLETELY THAWED to prevent a fire or explosion hazard.
- Raise and lower the turkey slowly to prevent oil splatter, burns, and fire.
- Keep children and pets away from the fryer to prevent tipping, even after the turkey is done. The oil is dangerously hot for hours.
- Use your safety tools: Oven mitts, gloves, and safety goggles.
- Stand upwind of the propane tank and fryer so heat blows away from you.