USFA: US Fire Administration offers grill, fire pit safety tips

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

USFA: US Fire Administration offers grill, fire pit safety tips

Grilling season means more than just summertime fun. It also means fire dangers.

Each year, about 3,800 Americans are injured by charcoal or gas grill fires, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. An estimated 5,700 grill fires happen each year in the U.S. More than half of those, 57 percent, happen between May and August.

To help combat the problem the USFA has some tips to keep in mind when grilling or tending to a fire pit:

Propane and charcoal grills should only be used outdoors
Grills should be kept away from siding, deck railing and should not be placed under eaves or overhanging branches
Grills should be kept away from where lawn games are being played
Children and pets should be kept away from grills. A 3-foot safety zone is recommended
Use grilling tools with long handles
Clean grease and fat buildup in grill trays
For charcoal grills, buy the proper type of starter fluid and store it in a safe place
Never add starter fluid after charcoal or kindling has been ignited
For gas grills, check cylinder hose before the first use of the season
Call 911 if you smell gas while cooking
Use only equipment bearing the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Follow manufacturers' instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it.
For fire pits, keep flammable material and fluids away while in use.
Don't use gasoline, alcohol, diesel or similar fluids to light or relight fires
Treat fire pit fires like you would any open fire
Don't allow children near a fire pit
Don't wear flammable or loose-fitting clothing like nylon near a fire pit
Don't burn trash, leaves, paper, cardboard or plywood in a fire pit. Seasoned hardwood only is suggested.
Keep the lid to a fire pit nearby so it can be used to extinguish the fire
Before lighting a fire pit fire, check the wind direction
Keep a fire extinguisher or garden hose nearby

California Fire News 2012

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Every year in California thousands of wildfires start throughout the state. In most cases, the dispatch center sending the initial resources to a wildland fire will designate a name for the fire, but the first on scene engine or fire official can also name the incident. Fires are usually named for the area in which they start – a geographical location, local landmark, street, lake, mountain, peak, etc. Quickly naming the fire provides responding fire resources with an additional locater, and allows fire officials to track and prioritize incidents by name. For example during the Southern California Fire Siege of 2003, the largest wildland fire in California history, the Cedar Fire in San Diego County, was named after the Cedar Creek Falls area where it started. The destructive Old Fire, which burned during the same time period in San Bernardino County, was named after the road along which it started - Old Waterman Canyon Road.

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Wednesday, July 4, 2012