The Yakima Fire Department would like to discourage cooking your holiday turkey with an outdoor, gas-fueled turkey fryer which uses hot oil. The process of submerging a turkey in oil at a temperature of 350 degrees or more, on an open flame, elevated stand presents numerous safety hazards. Unintentional spills of boiling cooking oil could seriously burn or injure someone as well as place one’s property at risk of a fire if the cooking pot is placed near combustible materials.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) also does not encourage the outdoor, gas-fueled in oil cooking method. The mission of the international nonprofit NFPA, established in 1896, is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. For more information by the NFPA on the outdoor turkey frying method, visit their website at: http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/causes/cooking/safety-with-cooking-equipment/turkey-fryers.
The Underwriters Laboratory (UL), has provided a video on the hazards of the outdoor oil cooking method. Please see this video: http://site.ul.com/global/eng/pages/offerings/perspectives/consumer/productsafety/turkeys/
The commercial retail market does provide oil – less, outdoor Turkey Fryers which are approved by the Underwriters Laboratory and are a safer method of turkey frying. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Captain Tom Schneider of the Yakima Fire Department.
Lastly, on behalf of the Yakima Fire Department and Fire Chief Bob Stewart, we would like to extend to everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday.