Thanksgiving is a time for food, family, and fun, but it’s also one of the busiest times of the year for the burn center staff at your local hospital.

It’s no secret that we tend to do a lot more cooking around the holidays. While many people claim to suffer from “food comas” following a big turkey dinner, cooking Thanksgiving dinner can also send us to the Emergency Room. With all the cooking and running in and out of the kitchen, hospitals see a huge jump in burn victims around Thanksgiving. In fact, medical centers see five times as many people suffering from burns during this time of year.

The biggest culprit? Turkey fryers. The grease fires and the turkey fryers can pose a huge problem to home chefs who are often stressed and rushed to put food on the table. When you’re cooking a turkey, the instructions usually say to heat the grease to 350 degrees. However, if that grease gets on someone’s skin, it can be difficult to remove, leaving deep burns.

Turkey fryers also keep the fire department busy over the holidays. If you’re going to be the one responsible for cooking the turkey this Thanksgiving, make sure you take the following precautions to keep you and your family safe:

-if you do get a grease burn, run it under cold water instead of applying ice to the wound
- keep the fryer in full view while the burner is still running
- place the fryer in an open area is that is away from all walls, fences, or other structures that can catch fire
- cover any exposed or bare skin when adding or removing food from a fryer or grill
- check the temperature of the oil frequently
- if the oil begins to smoke, turn the gas off immediately
- if a fire occurs, call 9-11
- do not attempt to extinguish a grease fire with water

Have a safe, happy, and healthy Turkey Day!