I wanted to pass a little information to you as you prep for the Thanksgiving weekend. As many of you know, a big danger during Thanksgiving has recently become frying up that delicious turkey.

Among some of the safety tips:

• Turkey fryers should always be used outdoors and at a safe distance from buildings and any other material that can burn.

• Never use turkey fryers on wooden decks or in garages.

• Make sure the fryers are used on a flat surface to reduce accidental tipping.

• Never leave the fryer unattended. Most units do not have thermostat controls. If you don’t control the temperature, the oil will continue to heat until it catches fire.

• Never let children or pets near the fryer during or after use. The oil inside the cooking pot can remain dangerously hot long after it has been turned off.

• To avoid oil spillover, do not overfill the fryer.

Also, during this time of year, slips, trips and falls are a big concern. Most folks, graciously, wait until after Thanksgiving to put up their Christmas lights. This means ladders and cold weather, which can lead to a visit to the local emergency room after falling off the ladder because someone over-reached and fell.  

The common theme with these kinds of injuries is laziness. People failed to descend the ladder, move it and ascend again.  Don’t become a statistic. How about this:  It’s another opportunity to burn a few extra calories by making a few extra descents and ascents!

Finally, I’d like to encourage a mindset change. 

Many of us have “grown up” hearing the term “Safety First.”  I’d like to propose we move away from that and get to a “Mission First” mindset.  We should accomplish the mission within a culture of safety and compliance.

If we create this culture, we’ll decrease injuries and rework, which will increase productivity.  How about that, mission accomplished and Airmen safe!  Have a wonderful day and be careful out there.