ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Fire department officials said nationwide, Thanksgiving is no picnic for firefighters.
Metro West Fire Protection officials estimate firefighters expect to be three times as busy as usual on Thanksgiving Day, fighting kitchen fires.
Firefighters also seized the opportunity to remind people to call 911. Metro West Fire Captain Matt Coppin said oftentimes, people panic and neglect to call 911, thinking they can get the fire under control.
Coppin showed a 5 On Your Side crew how to deal with a flaming pan on top of the stove.
“It’s a simple solution,” said Coppin. “When you have a fire in a pan, just put a lid or cookie sheet on it, and smother that fire.”
Coppin said half of all home fires start in the kitchen. In the Metro West fire simulator, Coppin reminded people that if you have a fire in the oven, keep the door closed and call 911.
The fire captain added that oftentimes people don’t call 911 until four or five minutes into an incident. By then the fire is a bigger problem than it could have been.
And make sure you know where the fire extinguisher is located.
“Pull the pin,” said Coppin, demonstrating how to use one. “We're going to aim the nozzle. We're going to sweep back and forth to put out the fire. If there’s a fire in the oven, just leave the door closed and call 911. Firefighters will show up and check it out.”
Meanwhile, Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District (MSD) officials say kitchen cooking on this Thanksgiving holiday could lead to problems in your pipes. They say when it comes to cooking grease – cool it, can it, and trash it.
MSD officials warned about the dangers of FOG – fats, oil, and grease.
"This is the fat that came off of a 16-pound turkey,” said MSD spokesperson Nicholle Spencer. as she held a glass jar containing 10-12 ounces of solidified grease.
Spencer said that grease looks harmless enough, when it’s liquid, but if you pour it down your kitchen sink, it will solidify in your pipes and become a problem. Pipes can become blocked and restricted.
That can lead to expensive repairs for homeowners, and larger problems for MSD, beyond your property’s sewer lateral.
Spencer also said there is a misconception about flushing grease down the sink with scalding hot water. It doesn’t work.
Spencer said, “So what we prefer our customers do instead is take the fats, oils, and grease when they’re finished cooking, wipe them out of the pot or pan, put them in a can, allow the grease to cool, and solidify, put a lid on it and toss it in the trash.”