Grilling safety tips for you and your clients

With Memorial Day being the unofficial kickoff to summer, grilling was probably a part of your weekend, or will be soon.

More than half (57 percent) of grill-related fires occur between May through August, with the majority happening in July. How can you and your clients stay safe?

Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency Director Richard Flinn said grills must be kept away from areas like the side of a home, deck railings and low-hanging trees. If it’s raining, do not put a grill in the garage and use it, it can lead to a fire, or even carbon dioxide poisoning.

Another important factor is cleanliness. Grease can catch on fire. Flinn said failure to clean is the top leading factor for grill fires.

Another issue with propane grills is potential gas leaks. Flinn recommended checking the gas tank by applying soapy water to the hose. If you see bubbles, there is a leak. If you can’t get the leak to close, turn the grill off, move away from the grill and call the fire department. As for charcoal grills, Flinn said to be careful of the amount of charcoal used, and also the disposal.

It’s also important to keep children and pets away from the grill. Insurance Commissioner Teresa Miller said that more than 16,000 people each year receive treatment for grill-related injuries, and 1,600 of them were children under 5.

If a home does catch fire, it most likely will be covered by homeowners insurance, said Miller. However, a claim may cause the insurance cost to rise, she said. Grill-related fires cause $118 million dollars in damage each year. Annually, there are nearly 9,000 home fires thanks to grills.

Flinn stressed the importance of always having a fire extinguisher and knowing how to use it.

“The last thing you want is a good time to be ruined by an injury or fire,” said Miller.

The National Fire Protection Association offers a checklist for grilling safety.