As Thanksgiving approaches, the Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department is urging residents to exercise caution while whipping up their holiday feasts, a time renowned for an upsurge in home cooking fires. In an effort to prevent such mishaps, Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department has provided essential cooking safety tips, with a statement stressing the importance of never leaving the kitchen unattended when frying or sautéing with oil, and ensuring turkeys are thoroughly thawed before cooking.
To mitigate fire risks, residents are advised to maintain a vigilant eye on their feast, using timers to track cooking periods, and keeping potentially flammable objects like oven mitts and wooden utensils clear of the cooking space. The Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department reminds that establishing a kid-free zone around the stove and hot foods is critical for their safety. Moreover, a precautionary measure to smother small grease fires is having a lid ready to cover a pan if flames do emerge, then turning off the heat source, making sure not removing the lid until the pan has cooled substantially.
As an extra layer of safety, the Town of Queen Creek promotes its free recycling program for used cooking oil, cluing residents into the harms of inappropriately disposing of such oils, which can lead to water quality issues and expensive sewer repairs. Instead, community members are encouraged to bring their leftover grease to designated collection sites located at Fire Station 2 and the QC Recycle Center, the statement from Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department confirms the addresses of the grease collection sites and highlights no charge for the service.
Adding to the preventative measures, ensuring functional smoke alarms throughout the home is paramount. It's advisable to have alarms installed in every bedroom, outside sleeping areas, and on every home level, with monthly tests and a 10-year replacement suggestion by Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department conjoining to this advice is the department's offer of a free smoke detector maintenance program for those seeking assistance.
Residents looking for further information on ensuring a safe holiday season can visit the provided link to Queen Creek Fire & Medical Department's safety tips or follow the department's social media for continuous updates. In case of non-emergency concerns, the article details proper contact information, expressing the ease of contacting Constance Halonen-Wilson, the Communication & Marketing Manager, through a designated email or by phone.
