Media contact: Keith Paul
Regional Communications Director
keith.paul@redcross.org | 702-400-7680

What:   Deep frying frozen turkey & other cooking hazards demonstration

When:  Monday, Nov. 21 at 10 a.m.

Where: Clark County Fire Department Training Center, 4425 W. Tropicana Ave.

Why:    Cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires

LAS VEGAS (Nov. 16, 2022) — The Red Cross of Southern Nevada is partnering with the Clark County Fire Department on Monday, Nov. 21, to demonstrate dangerous practices to avoid when deep frying a turkey for Thanksgiving. To help further combat the number one cause of home fires, other cooking safety tips will also be offered.

From 2017 to 2019, an estimated average of 2,300 home fires per year were reported to fire departments on Thanksgiving Day, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. “Every year there are more cooking fires on Thanksgiving than any other day,” said Clark County Fire Chief John Steinbeck, who is also a Red Cross of Southern Nevada board member. “When preparing your upcoming holiday meals, remember to take important safety precautions, such as not leaving your cooking unattended – a leading cause of home fires that can easily be prevented.”

At Monday’s event, firefighters will put a frozen turkey into a deep fryer, demonstrating the disastrous results of this wrong and dangerous practice, according to Steinbeck. “This can severely burn the person cooking the turkey and catch a home on fire,” he said. The U.S. Fire Administration also warns those who are deep frying turkeys to keep the fryer at least 10 feet away from their home.

“We all know we can count on our firefighters, first responders, and Red Cross staff and volunteers,” said Rachel Flanigan, Executive Director of the American Red Cross Southern Nevada Chapter. “But we’re hoping that by following basic safety tips, residents won’t have to call them for cooking-related emergencies this Thanksgiving.”

Help keep you and your loved ones safe by following these Red Cross cooking tips:

• When cooking or frying a turkey or other items, stay close and check regularly. Most cooking fires are caused by unattended cooking.
• Move items that can burn away from the stove, including dishtowels, bags, boxes, paper, and curtains.
  
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas.
  
• Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
  
• When frying food, turn the burner off if you see smoke or if the grease starts to boil, and carefully remove the pan from the burner with a protective oven mitt or hot pads.
  
• Keep a pan lid or a cookie sheet nearby incase to serve as a cover to put out a pan fire. Leave until completely cooled.
  
• Turn pot handles to the back of the stove so no one bumps or pulls them over.
  
• Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
  
• Check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to ensure all stoves, ovens, and small appliances are turned off.
  

The Red Cross of Southern Nevada staff and volunteers have responded to nearly 60 home fires and assisted more than 250 people in need so far this year, Flanigan reported. “Home fires, the nation’s most frequent disaster, account for most of the more than 60,000 disasters that the Red Cross responds to every year.”

Home Fire Campaign saves lives
Installing smoke alarms and providing fire prevention information is a critical part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign. Since launching in October 2014, the effort has saved some 1,414 lives nationwide by helping families create escape plans, installing free smoke alarms, and providing education about fire safety. Visit redcross.org/homefires for more information.

There’s help available
If you can’t afford to buy smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross of Southern Nevada may be able to help. Any resident interested in fire prevention assistance can visit SoundTheAlarm.org/Nevada to schedule an appointment for a free smoke alarm installation. During the 20-minute home visit, Red Cross volunteers will also share information on home fires, how to prevent them, what to do if a fire starts, and how to create an escape plan.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members, and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.