Barbecue Safety

Whether you prefer tenderloin or tofu, Memorial Day represents the official start of grilling season here in the U. S. (I’ve been known to stomp out to the grill in six inches of snow when the mood strikes, but that’s an exception.) This seems as good a time as any to suggest that people review these Barbecue Safety tips from the New York Fire Department.

Many are common sense: Don’t let kids play near the grill. Never try to start a charcoal grill with any flammable liquid other than barbecue starter fluid.

How many of us, though, check our gas-grill hoses every year for cracks? Or clean out the tubes leading into the burner? The NYPD also has the good idea of using chalk to draw a safety zone around the grill and instructing children to stay outside the line. This doesn’t replace parental supervision, of course, but it’s a good visual deterrent.

Visit the NYFD site for even more tips, some specific to different types of grills.