Fire Prevention
Summer Grilling Safety from the Grantham Fire Department
As we look forward to a summer of fun and barbecues, the Grantham Fire Department would like to remind you of some safety tips while using your grill.
- Before using your grill, check to be sure the grill is in good shape. On a propane grill, hoses should not be crushed, connections should be tight, and the burners should provide an even blue flame.
- Grills should only be used outside, never under an overhanging roof, on an enclosed or screen porch. The heat from a grill will dry the nearby and overhead wood after repeated uses of the grill, then the wood will easily ignite if there is a grease fire or other problem. Grills should be at least 2 feet from any surface that can catch fire, including walls, deck railings or trees and shrubbery. Again, the heat will dry the surface to the point of a very easy ignition.
- Keeping grills clean reduces any risk of an out of control fire, including emptying the grease trap (yuck).
- Never let children play with a grill. A child playing on a propane grill, even when cold, turning a knob on the grill can accidentally cause the risk of a fire or an explosion. A child near any hot grill can suffer very painful burns.
- While the grill is lit, do not leave it unattended. Very rapidly the situation of sizzling steaks can change to flames coming out of the grill from a grease fire (or a damaged hose on a propane grill) and if not one is there to take action, the situation can get bad very quickly.
Wishing you a safe and happy summer - The Grantham Fire Department