Over the years I have represented many severely burned clients. There are few injuries that are worse or more painful. This week my daughter, Honora Gathings, did a piece on “ABC 33/40’s Fighting For You” to call attention to the dangers of frying a turkey. The segment has been copied in part below:
Fighting For You shows you turkey fryer dangers
BY HONORA GATHINGS
Hoover — People are preparing to gather around the Thanksgiving table. For many, dinner won’t be complete without a deep fried turkey. But before you fire up the fryer, ABC 33/40 has some important tips for a safe holiday. Fighting For You teams up with the Hoover Fire Department to show you how quickly a fryer fire can start and spread.
A State Farm Insurance video shows a firefighter running from a burning building where plastic chair and siding melt in seconds. At the center of the fires- a turkey fryer. The video may be staged, but Hoover firefighters say these fires do start every holiday season at someone’s house.
“We have seen it and it’s a problem nationwide,” said Wayne Wilkey, a Hoover fire inspector.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates turkey fryers cause $15 million of property damage a year.