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Tis the season to spend time with friends and family enjoying the holidays. Temperatures will likely get cooler, and you may look to space heaters or a fire to keep you warm when the weather outside is frightful. Also, many enjoy a fried turkey during this time of year, but there are some things to keep in mind to cook that bird safely. We want to make sure you and your family stay safe this holiday season and hope you’ll follow these safety tips.

1. Turkey Safety

    

   • Make sure your turkey fryer is level. They can easily tip over, spilling hot oil and potentially creating a grease fire. 

      

   • The fryer should be at least 10 feet from your home and not under roof eaves. 

      

   • Don’t overfill your cooking pot. If you put too much oil in the pot, when you place your turkey inside oil could spill out. Test the amount of oil you’ll need by filling the pot with water first and then putting in your turkey. Use this as a guide when you cook your turkey with the oil. 

      

   • Thaw your turkey first. If a turkey is still frozen or even partially frozen it will cause the oil to splatter when you put it in the cooking pot. This could cause a fire. 

      

   • Monitor the temperature of your cooking oil. Deep fryers can overheat the oil and cause a fire. 

      

   • Always use protective mitts and keep children and pets at least 3 feet away from the fryer. 

      

2. Heater Safety

    

   • Make sure your heater has been tested by a recognized testing laboratory. 

      

   • Make sure your heater has an automatic shut-off, so if it tips over, it will turn itself off. 

      

   • Keep anything that could burn at least 3 feet from the heater. 

      

   • Turn the heater off when you leave the room or go to sleep. 

      

3. Home Safety 

    

   • Never use an oven to heat your home. 

      

   • Keep anything that could burn at least 3 feet from all heat sources like fireplaces, wood stoves, radiators, and candles. 

      

   • Have your chimney inspected and cleaned each year by a professional. 

      

4. Fire Pit Safety

    

   • Make sure the outdoor fire pit is at least 3 feet away from your home or anything that can burn. 

      

   • Use a metal screen over wood-burning fires to keep sparks from floating out. 

      

   • Turn off or put out fires before you leave your backyard. 

      

   • Store matches and lighters out of children’s sight or reach 

      

5. Christmas Tree Safety

• Water your tree every day, a dry tree is dangerous because it can catch fire easily. 

   

• Check string lights each year for frayed wires or excessive wear and replace if needed.

   

• Don’t link more than three strands. 

   

• Make sure your tree is at least 3 feet from your fireplace. 

Content provided by FEMA and the U.S. Fire Administration