Staying Safe While Using the BBQ

Although the weather is so nice in Los Angeles that we can enjoy a BBQ all year round, many people think of summer as the BBQ season. Los Angeles Firefighters respond to a wide variety of burn and fire-related calls involving BBQ grills, so it's important to take some precautions. Keeping your family safe is job one for any parent, and keeping friends safe is right up there as well!

This is the NEVER NEVER list:

Never BBQ in your home, office, or apartment. It may sound absurd to think someone might actually do this, but... You get the point. Don't do it.

Never use a propane barbecue grill on a balcony, terrace or roof. It is both dangerous and illegal.

Only use a charcoal barbecue grill on a balcony or terrace if there is a ten foot clearance from the building and there is an immediate source of water (garden hose or four (4) gallon pail of water). Failure to following this specific instruction is both dangerous and illegal.

BEFORE YOU BARBECUE: 

• Check your grill thoroughly for leaks, cracking or brittleness before using it.
• Clean out the tubes that lead into the burner.
• Make sure the grill is at least 10 feet away from your house, garage, or trees.
• Store and use your grill on a large flat surface that cannot burn (i.e.- concrete or asphalt).
• Don't use grills in a garage, porch, deck or on top of anything that can catch on fire.
• Keep children away from fires and grills. It is a good idea to establish a safety zone around the grill and instruct children to remain outside the zone. A chalk line works great for this purpose.
• Have a fire extinguisher, a garden hose attached to a water supply, or at least 16-quarts of water close by in case of a fire.

DURING BBQ FOOD PREPARATION: 

• Don't wear loose clothing that might catch fire.
• Use long handled barbecue tools and/or flame resistant mitts.
• Never use any flammable liquid other than a barbecue starter fluid to start or freshen a fire.
• Never pour or squirt starter fluid onto an open flame. The flame can easily flashback along the fluid's path to the container in your hands.
• Keep alcoholic beverages away from the grill, they are flammable!
• Never leave the grill unattended.

AFTER YOU FINISH EATING: 

• Always follow the manufacturer's cleaning and storing instructions that accompany the grill.
• Keep your grill clean and free of grease buildup that may lead to a fire.
• Never store liquid or pressurized fuels inside your home and/or near any possible sources of flame.

IN CASE OF A BARBECUE FIRE

1. For PROPANE Grills - turn off the burners. For CHARCOAL Grills - close the grill lid. Disconnect the power to ELECTRIC Grills.
2. For PROPANE Grills - if you can safely reach the tank valve, shut it off.
3. If the fire involves the tank, leave it alone, evacuate the area and call the fire department (911).
   If there is any type of fire that either threatens your personal safety or endangers property, ALWAYS DIAL 911.
4. NEVER attempt to extinguish a grease fire with water. It will only cause the flames to flare up. Use an approved portable fire extinguisher.

 To learn about dealing with burns, visit our BURNS SECTION of the website.