In a fiery demonstration on Wednesday, nurses from the Joseph M. Still Burn Centers at Wellstar Cobb Medical Center joined Cobb County firefighters to showcase why it’s essential to be vigilant during the holidays to prevent burn wounds and fires.
News cameras began recording as firefighters in full gear used a long rod to lower a frozen turkey into a fryer full of overheated vegetable oil. Immediately, a violent splash of hot oil spilled from the fryer and burst into a flash flame that extended 5 feet outward and roughly 20 feet high. It would have been a disaster if that scenario had played out during a family’s Thanksgiving feast.
At the demonstration, team members from the Burn Center at Wellstar Cobb told reporters that cooking mishaps are among the most frequent causes of the burn injuries they treat and shared safety tips that can help keep the holidays merry and bright.
“Please be extremely careful while deep frying your turkeys this holiday season,” said nurse Imani Hence of Wellstar Cobb’s inpatient burn unit. “Everyone loves fried turkey, but we have seen a lot of instances where turkey fryers have tipped over, causing significant burn injuries from the grease.”
Burn Program Manager Nadine Lynch said it’s crucial to maintain a “kid-free zone” around cooking areas, whether indoors or outdoors.
“It’s wonderful when the whole family pitches in, but make sure to keep hot liquids away from table edges,” she said. “Use potholders when cooking. Unplug cooking sources when no longer needed and use long-handled tools for grilling and frying.”
Emily Black, clinical coordinator at Wellstar Cobb’s burn, wound and hyperbaric outpatient clinic, said that when kids are out of school during the holidays, more accidents happen.
“We see a great many hand burns from children touching hot stoves, oven doors and glass screens on fireplaces,” Black said. “With kids home and cooking for themselves, we see an even greater number of hot water, tea and ramen noodle burns as well.”
What to do if someone suffers a burn:
- Immediately wash the wound with cool (not cold) running water.
- Place a clean, dry cloth or gauze over the burn.
- Seek medical attention for deep burns or burns that cover more than 5% of the body.
What not to do if someone suffers a burn:
- Do not ignore the burn.
- Do not treat a burn like a regular wound.
- Do not use toothpaste, mayonnaise, butter, etc., to treat the wound.
The sooner you’re seen at a burn center, Lynch said, the better your outcome.
Turkey fryer fire safety:
- Turkey fryers can tip over easily, spilling hot cooking oil over a large area. Make sure your fryer is on a sturdy, level surface and is at least 10 feet from your home and not under roof eaves. Do not use it in, on or under a garage, deck, breezeway, porch, barn or any structure that can catch fire.
- Cooking oil is combustible. Its vapors can ignite if heated beyond its cooking temperature (375 degrees Fahrenheit). If your turkey fryer does not have a thermostat, use a kitchen thermometer that attaches to the side of the pot. This will help you monitor the oil's temperature.
- An overfilled cooking pot will cause oil to spill when you put the turkey in it. Before turning on the fryer, test how much oil you’ll need by placing the turkey in the pot and adding water. Measure how much water it takes to fill the pot to a safe level, and then use that as a guide for filling the pot with oil.
- A partially frozen turkey will cause hot oil to splatter when you place it in the pot, leading to burns. Make sure your turkey is fully thawed before you fry it.
What to do if a grease fire occurs:
- Never use water to extinguish a grease fire. If it’s a stovetop fire, cut off the source of the fire and cover the pan, if possible, to smother the flames.
- If an indoor fire spreads, get out and stay out!
- Once you’re safely outside, call 911.
