Safety Should Be Another Great Thanksgiving Tradition

ROSEMEAD, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Turkey
fryer fires and their blazing imagery get plenty of attention when
it comes to Thanksgiving safety. And they should. Unattended cooking,
however, remains the biggest problem on a day with three
times as many home fires as any other day of the year.

For instance, U.S. fire departments answered 445 home-cooking fires
daily from 2009-2013, according to the
National Fire Protection Association, but that number reached 1,550
on Thanksgiving Day in 2013. More than 60 percent of the fires started
on stovetops and about one-third resulted from unattended cooking.

In an effort to combat these hazards, Southern California Edison urges
its customers to make safety a priority in their preparations this
Thanksgiving. It is essential in reducing the spike in Thanksgiving Day
fires that cause an
average of 10 fatalities, 50 injuries and $28 million in property damage.

“People can get distracted while preparing multiple dishes and
entertaining at Thanksgiving,” said Don Neal, SCE director of Corporate
Health and Safety. “But cooking, especially on the stovetop, should
never be left unattended. This and other basic
safety precautions can help keep your Thanksgiving fire and
injury-free.”

And deep fryers? They cause about 700 fires yearly compared to the
99,000 that start on stovetops and Underwriters Laboratories (UL), the
top independent product safety company, still won’t certify the fryers.

SCE recommends some other safety tips for Thanksgiving:

• Ensure that all appliances bear the UL label and replace appliances
  with frayed or worn cords.
• Plug countertop appliances into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
  (GFCI)-protected outlets.
• Locate all appliances away from the sink. Remember, water and
  electricity do not mix.
• Do not overload outlets with multiple adaptors or power strips.
• Do not use extension cords with major appliances.
• Never fight an electrical or grease fire with water. Keep
  a fire extinguisher, UL listed and rated for electrical and grease
  fires, nearby.
• Unplug appliances that aren’t in use, preventing them from being
  turned on accidentally.
• Keep appliance cords out of reach of children and keep the floor clear
  of other cords to prevent falls.

For more on electrical safety at home, visit on.sce.com/staysafe.
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About Southern California Edison

An Edison International (NYSE:EIX) company, Southern California Edison
is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities, serving a population
of nearly 14 million via 5 million customer accounts in a
50,000-square-mile service area within Central, Coastal and Southern
California.

Contacts

Southern California Edison
Media
Paul
Netter, 626-302-2255