From the Reference Desk...

Thanksgiving can be hectic and typically involves lots of potentially dangerous heat in the kitchen. Today the Kansas Fire Marshal posted tips for how to keep Thanksgiving as safe as possible:

Kansas Fire Marshal offers fire tips for Thanksgiving cooking

As Fire Marshal Doug Jorgensen states, "We encourage all Kansans to take common sense precautions to prevent a fire tragedy on their holiday." Some of these common sense tips include:

• Always stay in the kitchen while frying, grilling, or broiling food,
• Keep flammable items such as fabric, wooden utensils, towels, and curtains away from the cooking area
• Avoid using the stove or stovetop if you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol

The Fire Marshal also discourages the use of turkey fryers in general and suggests buying deep-fried turkeys instead.

For further information about the office of the Fire Marshal, check out the Fire Marshal's full website and the State Library's online collection of Fire Marshal documents.