Fire Safety for Summer

5/15/2020 (Permalink)

As we all start gearing up for Summer, we tend to spend more time outside with neighbors, family & friends.  One of those favorite pastimes is grilling lunch or dinner.  But sometimes not paying attention to our surroundings while cooking, can be very dangerous.   Fire is unavoidable when it comes to preparing that perfect burger, bratwurst or rack of ribs on the grill, which means you’ve got some inherent risks right from the get-go. In fact, the NFPA reports that an average of 8,900 home fires are caused by grilling each year. Here are some fire safety tips for the grill:

• While the meat is marinating, be sure to check each potentially problematic point of the grill including the propane tank, the hose, and all connecting points.
• Charcoal should be soaked with charcoal starter fluid only, so don’t let the pyro-happy Boy Scout in your family go anywhere near the grill with a container of lighter fluid, no matter how cool he swears it will be!
• Make sure the grill is clean—failing to clean the grill before and after use is a contributing factor in nearly 20% of all grill structure fires.
• Make sure the grill is set up in an open, outdoor area with nothing flammable (plants, paper products, etc.) nearby.  Position the grill away from the home or garage as to not char or melt aluminum siding, windows or decking materials.