Thanksgiving is prime time for feasting – and fires

Cooking is the most common cause of residential fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, and home fires are four times more likely to occur on Thanksgiving Day than any other day of the year.

This Thanksgiving, the Biloxi Fire Department wants to remind residents of some safety tips to keep in mind while preparing their feasts:

-Keep an eye on what you fry.

-Never fry a turkey under a carport or structure.

-Stand by your pan.

-If you see any smoke or the grease starts to boil, turn off the burner.

-Wear short sleeves or roll up sleeves.

-Keep cooking area clean and free of anything that may catch on fire such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packing and towels.

-Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove.

-Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby and use it to cover the pan if it catches on fire.
See a Thanksgiving cooking safety flyer
Video: Safety while cooking
Podcast: Cooking safety tips and more

News & notes: Weekly report, Station 10, podcast, council, BNews

The week that was: Last week, the Fire Department answered 130 calls for service, including 94 medical emergencies and four fires; the Police Department handled 1,800 calls for service; the Community Development Department issued 70 building permits with a construction valuation of more than $80,000; and the Engineering Department continued to progress on projects throughout the city.  To see the reports covering last week, click here

Fire Station No. 10: The city’s newest fire station, Station 10, had a relatively quiet weekend for its first full weekend of service, according to Fire Chief Joe Boney. The station went into service Friday, after a ribbon-cutting ceremony. To see a video of the ceremony, click here.

City Desk: This week’s edition of the City Desk podcast, recorded this morning at Biloxi City Hall, focuses on the city’s recent ribbon cuttings and fire safety during Thanksgiving. To listen to the podcast, click here.

City Council: The next scheduled meeting of the Biloxi City Council is Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. To see the meeting schedule, visit the Biloxi City Council page by clicking here.

BNews: The December issue of BNews Monthly, with a focus on Christmas, Jack, the Biloxi fire dog, and a host of other city news, will be arriving in homes and businesses throughout Biloxi this week. To see the digital copy of the new issue, click here.

News & notes: Holiday schedules

Garbage service: The Harrison County Utility Authority says no garbage, recycling or trash will be collected Thanksgiving Day.  Collection will be a day later than usual for the week.

Holiday office closures: All non-emergency municipal offices in Biloxi will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving.