Safe Grilling Tips

With summer quickly approaching us we thought this would be a great time to brush up on safety tips for the next time you fire up the grill.

4 LEADING CAUSES OF FIRE

1. Leaving the grill unattended

2. Failure to properly clean your grill

3. Placing the grill too close to structures (i.e. your house, deck rail)

4. A gas leak or break

PROXIMITY

Make sure the grill is far enough away from the house, deck railing, awnings, plants, and structures. The grill should not be over a pile of leaves, or under overhanging branches. Grills have wheels for a reason. Wheel them to where you need it to be for a safe margin away from anything that could catch fire.

NO KIDS ALLOWED!

Grilling is essentially a controlled explosion on a good day when it’s going well. Kids should never be within three feet of the grill, it's best to teach them it is a “kid free zone”. Keep in mind too that the grill is HOT for a while after cooking. Little guys can get a burn after the fact too.

WIPE IT DOWN

Keep your grill clean. That means the grates, the lid, the inside of the lid, the burners and all the sides of the inside of the flame-lit area (the cook box). This is easy enough to do, it just means taking the time to do it. Make sure you clean out or change out your grease trap under the grill. You can simply just use aluminum containers you can throw away (WHEN IT IS COMPLETELY COLD) and replace with a new disposable container.

CHECK FOR GAS LEAKS

You can do this by making a solution of half liquid dish soap and half water, then rubbing it on the hoses and connections. Then, turn the gas on (with the grill lid open). If soap forms large bubbles, that's a sign the hoses have small holes or that the connections are not tight enough.

SAFETY TIPS TO PRACTICE WHILE GRILLING

· Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.

· Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grill and the trays below the grill. Did you know that in roughly 1 out of every 5 grill fires, it’s due to the grills not being cleaned?

· Make sure your gas grill lid is open before lighting it.

· Check for gas leaks. See above on how to check for gas leaks.

· Keep a fire extinguisher and spray bottle of water (for minor flare ups) nearby, just in case. Another key point of safety is to know how to use the fire extinguisher and teach everyone in your house how to use it. It doesn’t do you any good if you can’t figure out how to use it during an emergency.

· Make sure your grill is on a stable surface.

Never hesitate to call for help. The Fire Department is happy to help. They would much rather come out for a quick assist than spend the next 5 hours putting the fire out at your home. Now after all these safety tips you can confidently prepare a meal for your family and know what to do to help prevent a fire.