GAINESVILLE - It's Memorial Day Weekend, and safety is always a huge concern for families hitting the roads to travel, spending time on Lake Lanier and other nearby waterways or just celebrating the summer with kids at home.
But one thing can put a damper on the fun - not just on the long weekend, but year round - fires. Cooking fires not only ruin your lunch, but will ruin your weekend. Hall County Fire Marshal Scott Cagle shared a few tips with AccessWDUN to help keep your family safe while cooking.
Keep the grill away from your home
Cagle said the majority of outdoor cooking fires happen because the grill (or other heat source) is too close to the house. "People will have the grills on their deck or patio, and have them up against or way too close to their house," Cagle said. "Of course, this is especially a problem if they have vinyl siding."
Cagle said the best option is to keep the grill 10 feet away from your home, or farther.
Think your cooking all the way through
When the hot dogs and burgers are ready, what are you doing with the hot grill or charcoal? Make your cooking plan "well-done" and know what you'll do with hot coals after food is on the table.
"If they're using charcoal, a lot of times we'll have folks take charcoal out of the grill and put it in a cardboard box or plastic buckets," said Cagle. "That's going to catch on fire. Have those [charcoals] away from the house, submerge them in water and soap."
If you have a propane grill, remember to turn it off.
Stick to the fire safety basics
Taking care and sticking to the basics of fire safety will save you a lot of trouble. Cagle said your family should have an emergency exit plan in case of a fire in any part of the home, and smoke detectors have fresh batteries.
"Stay in the kitchen near the stove or oven that you're using, of course, have working smoke alarms in the home and a fire escape plan," Cagle said. "And, always have a fire extinguisher. A lot of times we talk about smoke alarms, but we don't talk about fire extinguishers enough. For homeowners, they're very easy to use and safe to use, as long as you feel comfortable doing so."
Take the time to ensure your kids know about fire safety, too. Give them a refresher on the classic "Stop, Drop and Roll," remind them that little hands shouldn't touch the hot grill and that balls, flying discs and other toys don't belong near a cooking unit of any kind.
Don't let a cooking fire ruin your Memorial Day weekend - or any other day of the year. Find out more about the Hall County Fire Department here.
(Link "here" to http://www.hallcounty.org/196/Fire-Services)
