SUMMER BARBECUES:
SUNNYVALE PUBLIC SAFETY SAYS ‘HAVE FUN, BE SAFE’

SUNNYVALE, Calif. – One of the great pleasures of summer is eating and cooking outdoors with family and friends. As many as 85 percent of American families own a barbecue grill. During the summer months, the average family uses their grill at least once a week. Grills can be fun to cook on and provide delicious food, but they can also be dangerous. Here are some tips from the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety on using your grill safely this summer.

Gas Grills:

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), when used to fire a home barbecue, is contained under pressure in a steel cylinder. The content of an LPG cylinder, vaporized and in a confined area, has the explosive force of several sticks of dynamite.

Read the manufacturer’s instructions and be sure you thoroughly understand them. Do not transport LPG cylinders in the trunk of a passenger vehicle, and never leave a cylinder in a parked vehicle.

When connecting the cylinder to your grill, make sure the connections are tight. Apply a soapy solution to the connection; if any bubbles are produced, gas is leaking from the fitting, and the connection must be tightened further.

Other precautions include making sure that grease does not drip on the hose or cylinders, and storing the cylinders outside, away from direct sunlight.

Charcoal Grills:

Although charcoal may sound less dangerous than gas, it is just as necessary to take precautions in using charcoal burners. Never use charcoal barbecues in an enclosed space. Burning charcoal emits carbon monoxide gas, which – even in small quantities – can cause injury or death.

Once you have started a fire, never add starter fluid. Fire may follow the stream of fluid back to the container, causing an explosion and scattering flaming liquid. You should also be very careful disposing of the ashes. Ashes may contain live coals which can start a fire if not disposed of properly. The safest method is to wet ashes thoroughly with water before emptying the barbecue.

Finally, don’t be tempted by a rainy day to use outdoor cooking equipment inside – not even in a garage or on a porch or balcony. And never allow children to use a barbecue.

 Follow these precautions and enjoy outdoor eating in health, happiness, and good weather.