6 Thanksgiving Habits Kentucky Firefighters Wish Families Would Stop Doing
Many Americans are already deep into planning who’s bringing what to the Thanksgiving table.
But if you ask firefighters, other far more important plans are never considered.
Here are the Thanksgiving habits Kentucky firefighters wish families would stop doing.
1. Frying the Turkey Near the House
A Scott County fire lieutenant told LEX 18 around Thanksgiving 2025 that a turkey fryer belongs off the porch and out from under a covered roof.
Scott County Fire’s 2024 tips, as LEX 18 reported them, said to fry a turkey outside.
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) puts the distance at at least 10 feet from your home and not under roof eaves.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) adds that the fryer shouldn’t sit in the garage or on the deck.
USFA wants the fryer on a sturdy, level surface and says not to move it once it’s in use.
If your usual frying spot has a roof over it, you need a new frying spot.
2. Half-Frozen Turkey in Hot Oil
A half-frozen Thanksgiving turkey sets up a fire hazard in the fryer, since USFA warns it makes cooking oil splatter when it goes into the pot.
The fix is a turkey that’s fully thawed, with no frost on it.
An overfilled pot spills oil when the turkey goes in, USFA says.
Scott County Fire’s 2024 tips, as LEX 18 reported them, called for a turkey thawed completely with no water left inside.
Those tips said to shut off the burner when you lower the turkey, then relight it once the turkey is in the pot.
They also called for lowering the turkey into the oil slowly.
A year later, the Scott County lieutenant told LEX 18 to measure your oil so the pot doesn’t overflow.
The CPSC says never to overheat the oil and to use an oil with a high smoke point.
3. Walking Away From the Stove
In a 2021 release, Kentucky’s Division of Fire Prevention gave Thanksgiving cooks a short stove rule, to stay in the kitchen.
If you leave even for a short stretch, turn off the stove.
The release added a timer, so you don’t forget you’re cooking.
The CPSC reports an average of 1,400 cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day across the country.
Scott County Fire’s 2024 tips included a similar rule, not to leave the stovetop unattended.
The Kentucky release covered the cook too. If you’ve had alcohol, stay away from the stove, and don’t cook when you’re sleepy.
The Scott County lieutenant told LEX 18 in 2025 that the stove top is where most holiday fires start, since grease can drip into burners and ignite.
After more than 10 years on the job, he told the station, he has responded to at least one Thanksgiving fire every year.
Psst! How fire-ready is your kitchen for Thanksgiving? Run through this checklist and see where you stand.
4. Flammables Piled Beside the Stovetop
Anything that can catch fire belongs away from your Thanksgiving stovetop, according to Kentucky’s Division of Fire Prevention.
Its list names oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels, curtains and even the sleeves of your clothing.
What to Do With a Grease Fire
Keep a lid nearby while you cook, so you can smother a small grease fire.
When grease catches fire in a pan on your Thanksgiving stove, Kentucky’s Division of Fire Prevention says to slide the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop.
Leave the pan covered until it’s completely cooled.
The CPSC says never to use water on a grease fire.
For an oven fire, the division says to turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
When in doubt, get out, then call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number from outside.
5. Kids and Pets at the Burners
Kentucky’s Division of Fire Prevention says to keep children at least three feet away from your Thanksgiving stove or cooking surfaces.
The CPSC sets that same three feet for pets and children around the cooking area.
The CPSC wants pot handles turned inward to prevent accidental spills and burns.
The Scott County lieutenant told LEX 18 to keep handles from hanging over the edge of the stove when little ones are running around.
6. Cooking Without Working Smoke Alarms
The CPSC’s Thanksgiving fire tips from November 2025 say to have a working smoke alarm on each level of your home, outside sleeping areas and inside bedrooms.
The same tips say to keep a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.
Scott County Fire’s 2024 tips added fresh batteries in your smoke alarms.
Some Kentucky fire departments provide free smoke detectors and installation, WKYT reported in November 2025.
By the Numbers
USFA estimates that 2,300 residential building fires were reported nationwide on Thanksgiving Day in an average year from 2017 to 2019.
Cooking caused 74% of them, compared with 51% of residential building fires on every other day of the year.
More than half of those fires, 54%, happened between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Heating came second, at 8%.
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