MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) and the Metro West Fire Protection District (MWFPD) are urging the St. Louis residents to protect their homes this holiday season from Thanksgiving dinner-related fire and plumbing hazards by cooking safely and properly disposing of fats, oils, and grease (FOG). Thanksgiving is the peak day for cooking fires and plumbing problems like basement backups and sewer overflows created by FOG poured down drains.
“We often see a rise in problems around the holidays when people are cooking large family meals and don’t know how to dispose of excess grease,” said Nicholle Spencer with MSD Project Clear Public Affairs. “FOG from butter, gravy, cooking oil, and sauces often looks like harmless liquids, and many people just pour them down the drain. But when they cool, FOG becomes thick and sticky, sticking to the pipes of your home and the region’s wastewater system. This can clog your pipes, causing wastewater to back up in your or your neighbor’s home, or even cause sewer to overflow into yards or streets.”
“In recent years, we’ve seen more FOG-related overflows in residential areas, which suggests that people are not aware of the danger and are not disposing of FOG properly,” Spencer said. “Be aware and don’t FOG up your pipes this holiday season.”
The other danger lurking during this otherwise happy holiday is the potential for cooking fires. Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires—three times the normal daily average.
“The holidays are an especially dangerous time for cooking-related fires because people are preparing large meals that they often aren’t experienced with,” said Capt. Matt Coppin with Metro West Fire Protection District. “We want people to understand their fire risks so they can have a safe Thanksgiving and holiday season.”
Cooking causes nearly half of all reported home fires and home fire injuries, and it is the second leading cause of home fire deaths from 2014 to 2018.
“Unattended cooking is by far the leading factor in cooking fires and fire deaths,” Coppin said. “People need to plan properly and have the tools they need in the event of a fire.”
What can you do?
• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.
• Stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking so you can keep an eye on the food.
• Stay in your home while cooking your turkey and check on it frequently. Use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
• Keep anything that can catch fire — oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains — away from your stovetop.
• Keep children out of busy kitchens on Thanksgiving.
If you have a cooking fire:
• Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
• Call 9-1-1 after you leave.
• If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
• For small grease fires, keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking. Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled. Never throw water on a grease fire.
With the increase in the number of people using turkey fryers on Thanksgiving, the National Fire Protection Association has a safety video on these devices which dramatically demonstrates the dangers they can pose: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjUynq0HXdQ.
While MWFPD focuses on fire safety, MSD Project Clear notes the dangers of improperly disposing of FOG, which is found in many traditional holiday dishes.
FOG is a byproduct of cooking and is mostly found in the following:
• Meats
• Cooking oil
• Lard or shortening
• Butter or margarine
• Mayonnaise
• Food scraps
• “Hidden oils” such as salad dressings, syrup, batter, cheese, and whipping cream
As with home fires, fall and early winter see more FOG issues than any other time of year, particularly around the holiday cooking season. MSDPC encourages everyone to do their part in keeping pipes FOG-free by using proper disposal methods as provided below.
What Can You Do?
• Wipe visible FOG and food scraps from plates, pots, and utensils into the trash.
• Never pour FOG down your sink drain, garbage disposal, or into the sewer system.
• COOL IT, CAN IT, & TRASH IT.
• Pour cooled FOG into a container such as empty pet food, vegetable, or coffee cans. Allow the material to cool and solidify.
• Secure the lid and place it in the trash when full. Lids are available at your local municipality or at MSD’s Administrative Offices.
• Encourage your neighbors to keep FOG out of the sewer system.
About MSD Project Clear
MSD Project Clear (MSDPC) is two utilities in one–responsible for nearly 10,000 miles of public wastewater and stormwater sewer systems in the St. Louis region. MSDPC is investing billions of dollars over a generation to improve water quality and minimize wastewater and stormwater issues by monitoring regulatory compliance, planning, designing, and building community rainscaping, system improvements, and an ambitious program of maintenance and repair.
Stay informed on MSD Project Clear initiatives on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and via The Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District on LinkedIn.
About the Metro West Fire Protection District
The Metro West Fire Protection District provides fire, EMS and rescue services to 57 square miles of west St. Louis County. This includes all or portions of Ballwin, Chesterfield, Clarkson Valley, Castlewood, Ellisville, Sherman, Wildwood, Winchester, and unincorporated St. Louis County. 97 firefighter/paramedics run around 8,000 calls for service a year out of five fire stations. Metro West provides a host of specialized rescue services and maintains one of the only dive rescue teams in the region. More information can be found at www.metrowest-fire.org.