Many folks associate summer with cookouts – and cookouts usually involve grills. Whether it’s fueled by gas or charcoal, there are a few safety precautions to remember as grillmasters work their magic to create that perfect meal.

Local SERVPRO disaster remediation specialist William Paul shared some pre-grilling safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association and the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association:

• READY: Clean grill racks and grease trays. For gas grills, check the gas tank hose for leaks at the beginning of the season.
• SET: Choose a safe, firm, level spot for the grill away from coolers, people and pets. Grill outside, never in a garage or under the awning on a deck, the eaves of your home, or low-hanging branches.
• GO: Prepare the grill for cooking carefully. For charcoal grills, use a charcoal chimney with newspaper, a charcoal starter fluid, or an electric charcoal starter plugged into an outdoor-rated extension cord. For gas grills, open the lid before turning the grill on. If you smell gas after the grill is lit, do not try to move the grill. Get away from the grill and call the fire department.

While grilling:

• SAFE ZONE: Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the hot grill, both while you are cooking and after you serve the food. Grill surfaces can remain hot for an hour or more.
• SAFE TOOLS: Use long-handled grill utensils in good condition; avoid loose, flowing clothing; and wear flame-retardant mitts to adjust vents to help prevent burns.
• SAFE COOKING: Keep the fire under control. Manage flareups by adjusting grill height, using grill controls, or spreading out the coal bed. Keep baking soda within reach to control grease fires. Watch for blowing embers and have a fire extinguisher, a garden hose or a bucket of sand handy to extinguish spark-triggered fires. Never attempt to move a hot grill.

“Charcoal and gas grills, barbeques and the like are involved in an average of more than 5,000 structure fires each year and almost 5,000 additional outdoor fires,” Paul stated. Grilling accidents result in 19,700 trips to the hospital annually, almost half of which are burns. Children under the age of 5 account or 39 percent of those burns, he said, citing National Fire Protection Association statistics.

(SERVPRO of Franklin, Vance & Granville Counties is an advertising client of WIZS Radio and WIZS.com.  This is not a paid ad.)