Repetition and reminders can be good teachers. Not that you would, but it is possible to burn yourself, especially having not been around a hot grill in the winter months. Today on the Top 5 at 7:45, I'll highlight 5 things to think about if you're going to be hosting a backyard BBQ party and being around a hot grill. Burns and fires happen more often than you might think they do.

  1. Storage - Always store your propane BBQ grills outside and away from heat. You might want to cap it off with the safety plug on valve once you disconnect your tank from the unit.
  2. Firing Up The Grill - Before you fire up the grill, ensure that all the connections are secured correctly. Leaky connections could result in a fire once you strike the match.
  3. Shut It Off - When you are finished with the grill, make sure you shut the propane tank off. This will help your connections and regulators to last longer.
  4. Test It - After a long winter and no grill activity, take a moment to test your unit out before firing it up. Look for leaks in the lines, wear and tear on parts of the equipment that should be replaced. Don't use a match to test for leaks, much like an inner tube in your bike tire, soapy water is safer and will work just fine.
  5. Read The Manual - If your BBQ grill unit is new, it should have come with operator instructions. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with your new unit as to be aware of some things you may not have thought about.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, firefighters have responded to 8,800 home fires, caused by hibachis, and BBQ grills each year in the past. These fires also caused about 10 deaths, 140 injuries and on or over $96 million dollars in property damages.

The Top 5 at 7:45 airs weekdays with me, Gary Freeman and sponsored by First Education Federal Credit Union. Have a safe summer grilling.

 

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