As residents prepare for Thanksgiving dinner, the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department advises against using turkey fryers in preparing holiday meals because of the risk of injuries and fires associated with these devices.

Tests have shown that many of the fryers have a risk of tipping over, overheating, or spilling hot oil, leading to fires and burns. This deep-frying cooking process requires that up to five gallons of oil be heated to high temperatures before lowering the turkey into a deep container. The National Fire protection Association (NFPA) considers turkey fryers dangerous because of the following:

• When the turkey is placed in the hot oil, oil may spill onto the burner, creating a fire.
• The units can tip over, spilling hot, scalding oil onto anyone or anything nearby.
• Some units do not have automatic-thermostat controls to regulate the temperature of the oil, so oil may heat to the point of boiling over and catching fire.
• The sides, lids, and handles can get extremely hot and may cause burns.

If having fried turkey is a must this Thanksgiving, NFPA recommends purchasing a fried, cooked turkey from a commercial source where they will prepare it safely. Some supermarkets and restaurants accept orders for fried turkeys during the holiday season.

For more information, call Daniel L. Schmidt or Lieutenant Raul G. Castillo, Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department, 703-246-3801 and TTY 703-385-4419. Fairfax County is committed to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all county programs, services and activities. Reasonable accommodations will be provided upon request.