TOP STORY >> Just in time for summer: Outdoor fire safety

By Joe G. Willett
314th Civil Engineering Squadron, assistant chief of fire prevention


The smells of fresh cut grass and hamburgers on the grill signal the beginning of summer. Make this summer safe by following these outdoor fire safety tips.

Grilling

• We all enjoy cooking foods outside and making use of the brand new grill we just bought, however; this can also be one of the leading causes of fires and injuries. Before you fire up that grill, please take a few minutes and think.

• When establishing a site for a barbecue, be sure there is nothing hanging overhead and it is a safe distance from trees, buildings and other combustibles, at least 10 feet from any structure to include wooden fences.

• When using starting your fire, use only the lighter fluids designated for use with charcoal grills.

• Never use gasoline to start your fire. Do not set it down by the grill.

• Don’t add charcoal starter fluid to the fire after it has begun. The flames can travel up to the container and cause an explosion.

• Don’t wear loose clothing or robes around charcoal grills. Flaming grease can ignite clothing. Keep a small spray bottle of water handy to douse flaming grease.

• Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) when used to fire a home barbecue, is contained under pressure in a steel cylinder. The contents of an LPG cylinder, vaporized and in a confined area, have the explosive force of several sticks of dynamite. Therefore, the wise user of LPG will be aware of the dangers involved and the precautions that must be taken.

• Read the manufacturer’s instructions and be sure you thoroughly understand them.

• Do not transport cylinders in the trunk of a passenger vehicle. A filled cylinder should always be transported in an upright position on the floor of a vehicle with all windows open. Remove the cylinder from the vehicle as soon as possible. Never leave a cylinder in a parked vehicle.

• Using the proper size of wrench, make sure that all connections are tight. Remember that fittings on flammable gas cylinders have left-hand threads, requiring effort in a counterclockwise direction to tighten.

• Make sure that grease is not allowed to drip on the hose or cylinders.

• Don’t be tempted by a rainy day to use outdoor cooking equipment inside – not even in a carport or garage.

• Never use a gas-fired barbecue inside any structure.

Power Equipment

• Power lawnmowers make the job much simpler than hand propelled mowers. However, if not used with caution, lawnmowers can be dangerous.

• If you own a gas-powered mower or gas powered outdoor yard maintenance tools such as a chain saw, check the condition of the muffler at the beginning of the season. Spark arresters on mufflers should be considered in areas where dry grass is common.

• Hot gasses from defective mufflers often can ignite dry grass.

• Never refuel power tools when the engine is running and never refuel it inside a tool shed or a garage. Do so only outside, in well ventilated areas.

• Once the engine has been fueled, wipe up gasoline spills. Since gasoline vapors can travel along the ground and be ignited by a nearby flame, move at least 10 feet away from the fueling spot, and the vapors, before starting the motor. If you must refuel, cool the motor before doing so.

• Never smoke when you use gasoline. Remember that the invisible fumes from the gasoline can seek out a spark or flame from as far as 50 feet away. Once the fumes meet the spark, you, your clothes and skin could be engulfed in flames. Keep away from cigarettes, water heater pilot lights and any flames if you’re handling gasoline.

• Store gasoline in a ventilated area in tightly closed cans away from children, sparks, and flame sources.
Get out and enjoy summer time activities but please take a few minutes and think about fire safety first.