SAN ANTONIO — Thanksgiving is a time for food, family and fun. But preparing that food, especially if you're frying a turkey, needs to be done properly to prevent injury or even death.
The National Fire Protection Association says each year deep fryers cause 60 injuries, 5 deaths and over $15 million in property damage.
"Thanksgiving is here. Obviously, one of those popular things in South Texas is deep frying the turkey. It is absolutely delicious. But what we really got to worry about is the safety of doing that," said Joe Arrington, the San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson.
Some turkey frying DO's...Keep outdoor fryers a safe distance from structures, trees and wooden decks. Leave two feet between the burner and the tank. Wear protective cooking gear. Keep children and pets away from the fryer. When finished place the pot on a level surface and let the oil cool overnight.
"Kind of keep it in the open air and always make sure you're there, keeping an eye on it," Arrington said.
On the flip side, some turkey frying DON'Ts...Never leave fryers unattended. Never use fryers inside or in garages. Do not use a fryer in bad weather, including rain. And never attempt to fry a frozen turkey.
"When you put that turkey in the oil, that displacement of the oil from the turkey going into it could catch on fire and splash over, hit that flame, cause a huge flash fire that can spread to anything around there," Arrington added.
And if you're standing nearby Arrington says, "It may burn out real quickly, but it's also a very good chance that it gets on you, catches your clothing on fire, catches the wall next to you on fire or anything above it on fire."
Also make sure to choose the proper size turkey. One between eight and ten pounds is best.
For more holiday safety tips from the San Antonio Fire Department, check out firesafesa.com.