BBQ Safety

Everything tastes better when it is cooked in the great outdoors, or so the saying goes. And with the popularity of barbequing it may very well be true. But like so many things that we do for enjoyment there are dangers involved if not done safely. There are some rules for barbecue safety that need to be followed to prevent injury and fire.

Use Barbecue Grills Safely

Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas, and foot traffic.

Keep children and pets away from the grill area by declaring a 3-foot "kid-free zone" around the grill.

Put out several long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty of clearance from heat and flames when cooking food.

Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.

Use only outdoors! If used indoors, or in any enclosed spaces, such as tents, barbecue grills pose both a fire hazard and the risk of exposing occupants to carbon monoxide.

Charcoal Grills

Purchase the proper starter fluid and store out of reach of children and away from heat sources.

Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited, and never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid to get the fire going.

Propane Grills

Check the propane cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will reveal escaping propane quickly by releasing bubbles.

If you determined your grill has a gas leak by smell or the soapy bubble test and there is no flame: Turn off the propane tank and grill. If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again. If the leak does not stop, call the fire department.

If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill.

All propane cylinders manufactured after April 2002 must have overfill protection devices (OPD). OPDs shut off the flow of propane before capacity is reached, limiting the potential for release of propane gas if the cylinder heats up. OPDs are easily identified by their triangular-shaped hand wheel.

Use only equipment bearing the mark of an independent testing laboratory. Follow the manufacturers' instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it.

Never store propane cylinders in buildings or garages. If you store a gas grill inside during the winter, disconnect the cylinder and leave it outside.

Wildland Fire Season is coming - or may already be here

We normally think of wildland fire season as occurring in the heat of summer. The hot, dry days June, July and August always hold a greater potential for fire but the danger is already here. Warmer temperatures, winds and low moisture, increased outdoor activities and recreation increases the chance of wildfire.

As recent years have shown the potential for large and damaging wildfires in the area is an unpleasant reality. The Rapid City Department of Fire & Emergency Services and the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression wants to assist you in making your home safer from wildland fire and to mitigate the hazards of wildfire.

The following link is the online "Wildfire Safety Guidelines" presented by the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression providing information on wildland fires and assist you in preparing your home to best protect it from wildland fire.

http://www.state.sd.us/doa/fire/index.htm

Additional information from the South Dakota Division of Wildland Fire Suppression can be found at their homepage at

http://www.state.sd.us/doa/Wildland_Fire/Home_Page