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Fire safety: Prepare your barbecue

  • Published
  • By William J. Ferguson
  • 87th Civil Engineer Squadron
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  Though fire is a destructive force, people still invite it into their backyard for a cookout.

Every year grills and smokers cause thousands of fires, hundreds of injuries, dozens of deaths and millions of dollars in damage. Before preparing for your weekly barbecue, you should first know how to cut fuel supplies, extinguish fires and call the fire department. Always have one person in charge of the fire at all times, a fire marshal if you will.

Everybody loves an outdoor barbecue. To ensure you stay safe while enjoying your summer, the JB MDL Fire Prevention Office offers the following safety checklist to use when cooking outdoors:

· Keep small children away from the barbecue.
· A bag of damp or wet charcoal should be immediately disposed of, as it can spontaneously combust.
· When lighting a grill, the safest fire starters are chemicals in cake form or a charcoal electric starter.
· Never add fire starter after you have started your barbecue. The heat from the coals could ignite the stream of liquid and burn back to the can, causing it to explode in your hands. To speed a slow fire, tuck dry kindling under the charcoal.
· Make sure the barbecue grill is level and steady and keep a container of water nearby.
· After cooking, soak the coals in water. Dispose of charcoal in a metal container with a tight fitting lid. Many brush fires start because hot coals, thought to be cool, were dumped in leaves.
· All barbecue grills should never be brought inside the house, tent, or recreational vehicle, because of the danger of carbon monoxide poisoning in sealed or confined areas.  At a minimum, keep grills 25 feet away from buildings.
· For gas grills, check the gas tank hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. Apply a light soap and water solution to the hose. A propane leak will release bubbles. If your grill has a gas leak, by smell or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame, turn off the gas tank and grill. If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again. If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call 911. Do not move the grill.
· Make sure the gas grill burner controls are turned off and keep the cylinder valve closed when not in use.
· Make sure the grill is completely cooled before covering it after use.
· Always use or store gas cylinders in an upright, vertical position. Be sure to store them outdoors away from sources of ignition (i.e. heat, matches, or lighters).  
· When a gas cylinder is refilled, have the supplier check for dents, damage, rust, or leaks.

For more information, call the JB MDL Fire Prevention Office at (609) 754-2451. In case of emergency, always call 911.