Avoid Disaster with Good Grill Safety

9/22/2020 (Permalink)

Don't let an out of control grill fire ruin your cookout or your dinner!

What is there NOT to love about getting outside on a beautiful day and firing up the grill! For thousands of years, our ancestors have answered the same call to cook our food on an open fire. Fire has been our greatest companion, but can also be our deadly enemy. Unpredictable and rapid, fire often seems to have a mind of its own.  So, let’s be prepared!

The season is right, warm days lingering into cool nights, but there are some things to be aware of before stacking the charcoal or opening the propane valve. Our homes are where we store our memories, where we shelter our families, where we invest our earnings. It is underestimated how frequently small grilling mishaps become major disasters. We have these many things and more to protect. Let us be wise on how to keep them safe while enjoying the sacred rite of cooking out!

It will come as no surprise to read that children account for the majority of accidents involving outdoor cooking and grill fires. Thousands of people are treated for severe burns each year and property losses are extreme. Thankfully, only a few steps are necessary to keep this from happening to us.

Always keep the grill as far from the home as possible, at least 15 feet. Stay attentive of the grill or fire until you are sure it is completely extinguished. Keep a bucket of sand nearby and never use water on a fire involving grease or fat. The correct fire extinguisher is critical and should be close at hand. Keep grills from brush or tall grass, and always make sure to test your propane lines for leaks. Small handheld chimneys are great for getting charcoal grills started safely and quickly.

SERVPRO of Portage County wishes all the residents of our community a great time with family and friends outside by the grill. We hope that you will take these vital precautions and prepare yourself against accidents.