Please remember to be safe this holiday! As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, the Ocean City Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to inform the residents and visitors of Ocean City of the dangers associated with turkey fryers and offer safety tips to ensure a safe holiday for all. While their use has become more popular over the years, there are currently no gas-fueled turkey fryers listed for use by Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.), an independent product testing laboratory. Turkey fryers utilize large amounts of cooking oil, which poses a significant risk for burns to the skin. In addition, overheating of the cooking oil significantly increases the risk of fire. For these reasons, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as well as numerous other safety organizations do not recommend the use of home gas-fueled turkey fryers. Safer alternatives, such as a new type of outdoor “oil-less” turkey fryer, should be considered. However, where gas-fueled turkey fryers are used, the following precautions should be taken to ensure your safety. Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors away from all buildings and decks. Local ordinance prohibits the use of outdoor cooking equipment within 20’ of any multi-family dwelling. Fryers should be used on solid, flat surfaces to reduce accidental tipping. Fryers should not be overfilled with oil. The turkey should be fully thawed prior to being placed in the fryer. The fryer should never be left unattended and children and pets should be kept away from the fryer. An all-purpose ABC fire extinguisher should be kept close by during fryer use. Lastly, all instructions from the manufacturer should be strictly adhered to during use. For more information on turkey fryer safety, please contact the Ocean City Fire Department, Office of the Fire Marshal, at 410-289-8780, or visit www.nfpa.org