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Bakersfield firefighters offer holiday safety tips: turkey fryer cautions, smoke detectors and checking on elders
Summary
Bakersfield Fire Department personnel advised listeners to supervise children in kitchens, test turkey fryers with water, keep decorations and space heaters clear of trees, and to check smoke-detector batteries and have an escape plan this holiday season.
On the Something Better podcast, Bakersfield Fire Department staff used a holiday-themed episode to deliver practical fire-safety advice for residents hosting or attending holiday gatherings.
AJ Clark, the department public information officer, stressed child supervision and kitchen precautions: keep hot drinks and pots out of reach, use back burners, and keep children and pets away from cooking areas. Clark warned that grease and turkey-fryer fires are common around the holidays and advised against pouring water on a grease fire; instead, smother the fire with a lid or use a fire extinguisher if needed.
"If it's starting to ... put the top back on. If it's not working, yeah, that's what [extinguishers] are there for," Clark said. The department recommended a simple safety test for deep-fryers: perform a dry run using water to confirm the fryer size and oil quantity so the oil will not boil over when the turkey is lowered.
Decoration and heating safety were underscored as well. Clark advised testing strings of lights before putting them up, keeping trees and decorations away from fireplaces, and maintaining at least a 3-foot clearance from space heaters.
Smoke detectors and family escape planning were presented as the most critical safeguards. "If there's one thing that saves more lives than anything, it's a working smoke detector," Clark said. He recommended changing batteries whenever clocks change and noted that some detectors come with sealed 10-year batteries. Install detectors in hallways and living spaces, consider linked alarms so all units notify at once, and agree on an outside meeting place so household members can be accounted for after evacuation.
Chief Kevin Albertson reiterated that residents should call 911 after they are safely out and provide firefighters with information about where anyone inside might be. Both speakers also urged listeners to check on older relatives during the holidays; Clark said the department sees a rise in medical-aid calls this time of year.
The episode closed with thanks from the host and an invitation to subscribe to the podcast for future safety content.
