With warm and sunny weather fast approaching and the long weekend around the corner, I want to ensure everyone remembers to be fire safe.  For those of you planning to visit the cottage – and likely, you haven’t done so since last year – I strongly encourage you to test your smoke detectors and replace your batteries if necessary. As well, many of us have emergency escape plans for our home, but what about at the cottage? For your convenience, we have a family evacuation plan template to help you map this out. Lastly, many of us recognize this time of year as barbecue season.  Below are some key pointers to know before starting up the grill:

BBQ Setup & Safety Tips

• Make sure you set up your barbecue on a flat area well away from combustible materials including: siding, fences, deck railings, sheds, and overhanging branches
• Do not use your barbecue indoors or in a tent, or high levels of carbon monoxide can form
• Thoroughly clean the burner with a wire brush before lighting the barbecue
• Light barbecues with a long match or mechanical lighter designed for lighting barbecues
• Ensure children are aware of the dangers of matches, lighters and gasoline, and always keep these items out of reach
• Use long-handled grilling tools to ensure distance from heat and flames
  
• Always allow the barbecue to cool before attempting to move it
• Never leave a barbecue unattended

Charcoal Barbeques:

• Be sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions from start to finish
• Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue (about 2 inches deep)
• Store extra charcoal in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid to keep it dry; wet charcoal can spontaneously combust and start a fire
• Use lighter fluid only on cold charcoal, using the minimum quantity necessary - adding fluid to burning or hot coals can cause a flash fire
• Give ample time for the barbecue to cool
• When removing ashes from the barbecue, make sure they are cool or shovel them into a non-flammable container such as a metal bucket
• Water may be added to the cool ashes, however, hot steam may still result – be sure to keep a safe distance
• Spent ashes should be emptied onto bare garden soil - not into a garbage can or paper bag that can still ignite

Gas Barbeques:

• Be sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions from start to finish
• Check all hoses and connections for leaks by brushing soapy water around all joints If bubbles form, there is a leak. To fix a leak, be sure to turn the gas off before attempting to readjust the pipes. If the leak persists, contact a professional
• Never use gas cylinders that are past their legal use date
• Open the barbecue lid before turning on the gas or lighting
• When you have finished cooking with a gas barbecue, turn off the gas cylinder
• Always change gas cylinders in the open air, not in a confined space and avoid storing gas cylinders indoors

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 13th, 2009 at 3:03 pm and is filed under Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Please leave a response of your own!