HEALTH FIRST and the Melbourne Fire Department hosted a public awareness event to help spread the word about deep-fried turkey dangers at the Melbourne Fire Department’s Fire Training Center. “Deep frying turkeys is very dangerous if not done correctly, resulting in injuries … even fatalities every year,” Dr. Larissa Dudley, a Medical Director for multiple local fire departments, told WFTV 9 News in Orlando .

Many families across the country will prepare their Thanksgiving bird using a deep fryer. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), an average of five deaths, 60 injuries, and over $15 million of damage occurs each year in the U.S. due to deep-frying accidents.

Further, an average of 2,300 fires in residential building fires were reported on each Thanksgiving Day between 2017 and 2019, according to the U.S. Fire Administration – with cooking the leading cause of all Thanksgiving Day fires, according to the agency.  

So, while that deep-fried, crispy, wonderfully juicy bird is such a delightful bite, turkey frying is considered so dangerous that the NFPA actually discourages the tradition entirely.

To raise public awareness of the danger, Health First and the Melbourne Fire Dept.  hosted a public service awareness event to help spread the word about deep-fried turkey dangers at the Melbourne Fire Department’s Fire Training Center.

“Deep-frying turkeys is very dangerous and destructive if not done correctly, resulting in injuries – particularly serious burns, property damage, and even fatalities every year. We’re here today at the Melbourne Fire Department training center today to demonstrate just how dangerous the practice is,” said Emergency Medicine physician Dr. Larissa Dudley, a Medical Director for multiple local fire departments.

 

 

Dr. Dudley took the opportunity to remind the public of other holiday-related dangers – from ladder falls to illnesses caused by poor hand hygiene.

“As families are getting together, you know, common colds and upper respiratory infections are certainly around. So, make sure that you're practicing good hand hygiene.

“And don’t forget about alcohol!  Alcohol is a common theme that leads to accidents of all sorts – from vehicle accidents to accidents in the kitchen, around the home and, well, when frying a turkey. So unfortunately, we do see alcohol as being a factor that's often associated with injuries like this and can quickly ruin a holiday – or worse.”    

READ the full feature in Space Coast Daily HERE.