LARA and State Fire Marshal Call for a Fire Safety Pre-Game Huddle

With Thanksgiving coming up, it’s important to keep you and your family safe throughout the entire holiday season. As of November 8, 2024, Michigan has experienced 78 fire deaths in 75 residential fires. Out of those fatal fires, 80% of the homes did not have working smoke alarms. State Fire Marshal Kevin Sehlmeyer does not want the upcoming holiday to contribute to those statistics.

“We need your help to protect your families,” said Fire Marshal Sehlmeyer. “As we are cheering on our Detroit Lions against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day, be sure to take your own ‘timeout’ to discuss how fire safety can help us reduce fire fatalities.”

In the game of fire safety, the easiest way to get a first down is by having working smoke alarms and carbon dioxide detectors throughout your home. Another essential move is to have a fire escape plan in place – especially for family members with mobility challenges. Practice a “two-minute drill” to make sure you can all safely exit the house in under two minutes. These simple steps can make all the difference when seconds count.

“Too many Michigan residents do not have working smoke alarms, and in a fire that can be the difference between life and death,” said Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) Director Marlon Brown. “Smoke alarms and escape plans are critical tools that allow residents to escape a fire quickly and help us reduce fire fatalities across the state.”

Just like in football, we need to have multiple strategies to beat our opponents. To be ready for the fire you hope you never have to face, you need to plan and practice options to escape from your residence. A key play from the playbook is to always sleep with your door closed. This will help contain smoke and heat, giving you valuable time to escape from a fire.

If you’re frying a turkey this year, make sure the only thing getting roasted is the Bears’ defense—not your backyard.

“Deep frying a turkey in several gallons of hot oil – over 350 degrees – can be a dangerous activity,” said Sehlmeyer. “When cooking, oil vapors ignite, it becomes as flammable as gasoline. That’s why turkey fryers need to be at least ten feet away from a house, garage, or building, and should never be placed on a backyard deck.”

Here are some additional tips from the turkey frying playbook:

• Always use the portable deep fryer on a flat surface, at least ten feet away from houses, garages, decks, trees, and bushes.

• Always use a portable deep fryer with a gas valve controller.

• Maintain at least two feet of space between the liquid propane tank and the portable deep fryer burner.

• Keep children and pets away from the portable deep fryer at all times. 

• Make sure your turkey is completely thawed and dry the turkey before putting it in the fryer.

• Never leave the portable deep fryer unattended.

• Only use cooking oil recommended by the deep fryer manufacturer; different types of cooking oil have different ignition temperatures when heated.

• Do not overfill the portable deep fryer with cooking oil.

• Use well-insulated potholders or oven mitts as the deep fryer lid and handle can become very hot.

• Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes from cooking oil splatter.

• If the cooking oil begins to smoke, immediately turn the propane tank off by closing the propane tank valve.

• Always keep a dry powder fire extinguisher ready; never use water to extinguish a cooking oil or grease fire.

LARA’s Bureau of Fire Services encourages residents to share their Fire Safety Pre-Game with family and friends on social media by tagging #MIPrevention!

Visit the Bureau of Fire Services’ website at www.MIPrevention.org for more information and fire safety tips.