Outdoor Barbecue Safety Tips from the East Meadow Fire District

With the unofficial start of summer already here, many of us have fired up the backyard barbecue grills turning out a variety of tasty meals. Unfortunately, with all those delicious meals comes an increased risk of fire and injury.

According to fire safety officials, fire departments across the U.S. respond to an average of 8,900 home fires involving outdoor cooking equipment each year, including 3,900 structure fires and 4,900 outside or unclassified fires. In addition, fire safety experts note that half of the grill injuries are thermal burns.

Outdoor grilling safety tips from your East Meadow Fire District Board of Commissioners:

• All grills (propane, natural gas, charcoal, or wood) should only be used outdoors.
• If you smell propane or natural gas while cooking, immediately close the valve if you can do so safely, turn off the home’s electricity, stay away from the grill, and call the EMFD 516-542-0576.
• County law required that all grills are placed at least six feet away from the house or similar structure. Keep grills away from deck railings, and do not use them under eaves or on porches.
• Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the grill when used.
• Ensure that the trays under the grill are free of grease and fat to avoid a grease fire.
• Never leave the grill unattended while it’s on.
• Make sure the cover is open before lighting a natural gas or propane grill.
• If you use starter fluid for a charcoal grill, use only starter fluid explicitly made for charcoal, and never add any other flammable liquid, such as gasoline or kerosene.
• When finished grilling with charcoal or wood, let the embers cool completely before disposing of them in a metal container.

In case of a barbecue fire, turn off the burners (for a natural gas or propane grill) or close the grill lid (for a charcoal grill), and do not attempt to extinguish the fire yourself; instead, call the East Meadow Fire Department’s emergency number 516-542-0576.

For additional barbecue safety tips and other valuable safety-related information, please visit www.eastmeadowfd.com and click on the “safety info” tab.