As we enter the warm days of spring and summer, one of the first things that we all love to do is gather with family and friends and get the grill going.
You should make sure the hoses and connections to the propane tank are secure. You should always take the grill outside, far from anything combustible.
If you get a flare-up, one of the easiest and safest ways of dealing with it is to simply close the lid. That will blanket the fire so it will start to go out. Then, take away the flame fuel source by shutting off the propane or gas.
When it comes to cooking with charcoal, use no more than two ounces of lighter fluid, and let it soak in before lighting the fire. Never add lighter fluid to an already lit fire, and dispose of hot coals by dousing them with plenty of water to ensure the fire is out.
Never place used ash or coals in any type of container along the outside walls of any structure in your yard.
- Use or store propane cylinders outdoors in an upright (vertical) position and away from high temperatures;
- Extinguish all smoking materials and other open flames immediately if gas is smelled;
- Transport cylinders in well-ventilated areas of vehicles and drive directly to the destination where it will be used;
- Avoid smoking while handling a propane cylinder; and
- Make sure cylinders have an overfill prevention device (OPD), which shuts off the flow of propane before capacity is reached (OPDs are easily identified by their triangular-shaped hand wheels).
Fire departments nationally respond to an average of 7,900 home fires involving grills, hibachis and barbecues each year, including 5,000 outside fires and 2,900 structure fires.
June and July are the peak months for grill fires. Thirty-three percent of home grill structure fires start on an exterior balcony or unenclosed porch.
We Are Your Friends for Life
Doug Barr’s Famous Ham Balls
A well-loved recipe at the Violet Township Fire Department from Assistant Chief Doug Barr (1959-2011)
Ingredients
Ham balls:
- 1 lb. ground ham
- 1 lb. ground sausage
- 1 lb. hamburger
- 1 sleeve Ritz Crackers
- 1 cup milk
- 2 eggs
Sauce:
- 1 cup catsup
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup tomato juice
- 1 Tbsp. mustard
Instructions
Mix all ham ball ingredients and form into medium-size balls. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in an oven-safe dish or pan.
Put sauce ingredients into a pan and cook over medium heat until well blended.
Pour sauce over ham balls and cover the dish or pan with foil. Bake 1 hour in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven. During the last 15 minutes, uncover and baste with sauce in the pan.
Yields 15-20 ham balls. Can also make as an appetizer by making ham balls smaller, and then placing in a crock pot to keep warm.
Thank You for Passage of the Violet Township Fire Levy
The Violet Township Fire Department couldn’t be more proud of the support we received from the citizens of Violet Township. We will fulfill our promises and continue to be great stewards of public funds and, most importantly, public trust. A sincere “thank you” to our community for its continued support.
