Many turkeys are destined to being cooked throughout this holiday season, especially on Thanksgiving.

But the Sparks Fire Department is saying, cooking a turkey can be dangerous if not done correctly.

Specifically deep frying a turkey, like the Sparks Fire Marshal mentions, can be dangerous, yet also very tasty if done correctly.

It also takes significantly less time to deep fry a turkey, rather than roasting for hours in the oven, and being prepared can keep you safe this holiday season.

When people decide to fry a turkey, one thing the Fire Marshal says to avoid is putting too much oil into the pot, and not thawing out the bird before attempting to fry.

Chris McCubbins, the Fire Marshal of the City of Sparks Fire Department explains "Then when they put the turkey in of course it overflows."

That overflow leads to a raging fiery turkey explosion, but taking the time to prepare can prevent a future fire.

McCubbins tells us the correct way to fry a turkey "You take the turkey you fill it up with water, that's your mark for how much water to put in there, then you go ahead and pull the turkey out, pour the water out, put the oil back into that mark and then your good to go."

He also mentions it's a good idea to make sure your turkey is in a sturdy pan, or else the turkey may collapse, burning you in the process.

Kevin Jakubos, the Battalion Chief for the City of Sparks Fire Department tells us "The moisture from the turkey, all the liquid, when they pick it up the pan folds creases and they end up burning their leg or something like that."

Officials say to make sure any cooking is supervised by an adult.

They also say they see an increase in burn calls during the holidays.

Jakubos says "Whatever is burning, you get that off of it, put your hand under running cold water and leave it in there for a period of time and cool the burn."

McCubbins adds "Make sure that pot handles are turned in never leave anything where kids can accidentally knock it over and bring it down on themselves."

They say when you fry a turkey it should be done on a level surface 5 feet away from any structure.

Jakubos "If it does get away from you, get away from the fire, call 911 and we'll come there an take care of it."

They also say people get in a hurry, especially when family is coming over with pressure of feeding so many people.

McCubbins "They rush things, whether it be inside or out."

The fire department says as long as you're watching the turkey and have good situational awareness, then you'll be just fine frying up your turkey this year.

Jakubos tells us "It's a lot faster than baking in your oven, it gives it a good flavor, we enjoy it. We've done it here at the fire house, but the message we want to give out is preplan it."

Additionally the Reno Fire Department (RFD) is conducting a live turkey fryer fire to demonstrate the hazards associated with unsafe cooking on Tuesday, November 23 at 10 a.m. at Fire Station 3.

RFD offers the following cooking safety tips:

  • Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stove top so you can keep an eye on the food.  
  • Keep children and pets away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away. Pan handles should be turned inward to prevent accidental spills.
  • Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns. 
  • Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over toys, pocketbooks or bags. 
  • Keep knives out of the reach of children. 
  • Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child. 

For more Thanksgiving safety information, you can visit the National Fire Protection Association website.

(The Reno Fire Department assisted in this report.)Â