ON YOUR SIDE: 5 sizzling summer grilling safety tips

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) - It’s time to fire up the grill and enjoy some time cooking outdoors, but firefighters want you to keep a few safety tips in mind so that no one gets hurt.

1. Keep your grill at least three feet away from any flammable surface. The distance includes deck railings and siding. You also want to ensure the grill is not under an awning or patio cover.

“We have a lot of fires that occur because people have cooked, and they left their grill out,” said Battlefield Fire Protection District Fire Chief Shane Anderson. “They thought it was going to cool down fine, and they pushed it too close to the house. In some cases, people actually take coals, put them in a bucket, and put them in a garage or beside the house. If you’re using hot coals, keep those away from deciding away from anything that could catch fire.”

2. Make sure to check gas tank hoses before lighting up the grill for the first time. If you find a leak, call a professional to help you fix the problem.

“Use the manufacturer’s instructions on lighting the grill,” said Anderson. “For instance, with a gas grill, if for whatever reason the flame has gone out, follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on how to light that with a match. Check and ask, are you following directions and properly changing out the bottle? Are you disposing of the briquettes appropriately? Just make sure that whatever you do, you do it safely.”

3. Keep children and pets away from the grill. Prevent kids from getting burned or knocking the grill over and starting a fire.

4. Keep the grill clean to prevent a grease fire. Don’t use flour or water

“If you do have a grease fire, one of the things you can do is just shut the lid,” said Anderson. “You can put the lid down on it and then try to turn off the heat source. If it’s gas, you can turn off the burners, or if you can safely reach to turn off the bottle, that would be the way to go. If it’s briquettes, obviously, you know you can’t just turn those off, so closing the lid is a big help.”

5. Never leave a grill unattended.

However, if you choose to cook outside this summer, stay safe and have fun.

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