Grilling Safety
Tips to keep the summer grilling experience enjoyable
Spring has sprung and summer is on the way.
Everyone is outside enjoying the beautiful weather. For many of us, part of that enjoyment includes using grills to prepare food.
Even with the mild weather of the past two years, most people rarely use their grill over the winter months, and many store them away until spring.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) estimates that 16,600 people went to emergency rooms in 2014 due to grill-related injuries. Most of these injuries were due to burns.
The NFPA also found that most grill fires occurred in the months of May, June, July and August; July was the peak month for fires. Lastly, gas grills are responsible for a higher number of house fires than are charcoal grills.
Knowing this, the Violet Township Fire Department would like to offer some grill safety tips so that you do not become a statistic.
DO:
- Use propane and charcoal barbecue grills outdoors only.
- Place the grill well away from the home and deck railings, and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
- Keep children and pets away from the grill area.
- Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grill grates, heat deflectors, burners and trays below the grill.
- Keep a spray bottle of water and a fire extinguisher nearby when grilling.
- Let coals cool completely before disposing of them, and never dispose of them in a plastic container.
- Check the major connection points between the gas (propane) tank hose and the regulator and cylinder, and where the hose connects to the burners. Tighten if loose.
- Check the gas (propane) tank hose for the potential (gas) leaks. To do that:
- Apply a light sap and water solution to the hose using a brush or spray bottle.
- Turn the prpane tank on. If there is a gas leak, the propane will release bubbles around the hose; they’ll be big enough to see.
- If there are n bubbles, your grill is safe to use.
DON’T:
- Leave your grill unattended.
- Turn on the gas while the lid is closed. Gas will build up in the enclosed area and, when ignited, create a fireball or explosion.
- Use your grill indoors; this includes inside your garage.
- Overload your grill with foods, especially fatty meats. The fat drippings can create flare-ups of the flame.
Grilling is one of America’s favorite pastimes. We would like to keep you safe this year when you are honing your culinary skills as a grill-master.
Please take time to prepare your grill for use and heed the dos and don’ts listed above. Should you encounter an issue such as a leak or fire when grilling, leave the area and call 9-1-1. Type this link into your web browser to find more safety tips and messages from the NFPA on grilling:
www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/wildfire-and-seasonal-fires/grilling
As always, if you have questions, feel free to contact us at 614-837-4123, or through our website at www.violet.oh.us.
Have a safe and enjoyable summer season.
FACTS
- July is the peak month for grill fires.
- Grill-related injuries accounted for 16,600 people going to the emergency room in 2014.
Garlic Mustard
Not the kind you spread on a sandwich
By Chad Lucht, Fairfield Soil and Water Conservation District, and Jason Van Houten, Ohio Department of Natural Resources – Division of Forestry
Garlic mustard (alliaria petiolata) is a non-native invasive plant capable of forming dense colonies on the forest or woodland floor.
As a foreign invader, garlic mustard has very few ecological checks and balances. Most native wildlife species, including insects, do not eat it, and very few diseases affect it.
It was likely introduced by early settlers for food. Leaves can be used in salads, soups, pesto, marinades and other sauces. This is one edible plant you don’t have to worry about over-picking.
Without management, garlic mustard spreads quickly and displaces woodland wildflowers, tree seedlings and other native understory plants. Garlic mustard is herbaceous and shade-tolerant, and has a two-year life cycle (biennial).
The first-year plants, called rosettes, are small and don’t flower. They have four to eight kidney-shaped leaves with scalloped margins and prominent veins creating a wrinkled appearance. The leaves smell like garlic when crushed and will remain green all winter long.
The second-year plants grow up to 4 feet tall and produce one or more flower stalks bearing alternatively arranged, coarsely-toothed, triangular-shaped leaves. Each also has a terminal cluster of small, white, four-petal flowers that bloom between late April and early June. The flowers become capsules and are ripe when they turn black. The capsules contain numerous seeds that are dispersed in mid- to late summer. A single plant can produce several thousand seeds that can remain viable for seven years or more.
Vehicles, lawnmowers, humans, pets, wildlife and rainwater runoff can disperse seeds over long distances. Hand pulling is a good way to control small populations of second-year plants. However, these pulled plants should be destroyed or disposed of, since garlic mustard has been known to continue maturing and producing seeds long after being pulled. Cutting can be effective during the flowering stage, but cuttings should be destroyed or disposed of so the plan doesn’t continue to spread.
Foliar herbicides applied to first- or second-year plants can also be effective. Foliar applications are ideal during dry conditions with temperatures 50 degrees Fahrenheit or warmer in late fall or early spring, since the green leaves of garlic mustard persist while other plants are dormant and will not be killed by foliar spray. Well-established patches may require years of effort to exhaust the seed bank. Always follow herbicide label directions for safe application and environmental protection for the most effective results.
