{"id":10084,"date":"2020-07-03T08:00:07","date_gmt":"2020-07-03T13:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=10084"},"modified":"2022-02-11T10:13:21","modified_gmt":"2022-02-11T16:13:21","slug":"make-sure-your-summer-cookout-stays-fun-and-safe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/make-sure-your-summer-cookout-stays-fun-and-safe\/","title":{"rendered":"Make sure your summer cookout stays fun and safe"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Accidents happen<\/p>\n

Get emergency care<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

One of summer\u2019s most delicious activities is the cookout.<\/p>\n

But grilling involves risk of fires, along with the resulting injuries, if it\u2019s not done correctly.<\/p>\n

\u201cAbout 20,000 people in the United States see doctors for grill injuries every year. July is the peak month for injuries from fires due to grills,\u201d said John Wipfler, MD<\/a>, Emergency Department physician for OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center<\/a> and a clinical professor of emergency medicine at University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The National Fire Protection Association<\/a> reports 58% of grill-related fires occur during the four-month stretch from May through August. July leads the way with 18% — nearly one of every five.<\/p>\n

What are the most common grill fires and injuries, and what are the best ways to prevent them?<\/p>\n

Burns from hot flame<\/h2>\n

\u201cInjuries to the fingers and arms are the No. 1 injuries from a grilling device,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said.<\/p>\n

\"Food<\/p>\n

The majority of those are flash burns<\/a>, caused by a sudden and intense exposure to the flame. They commonly occur when grease dripping from food on the grill makes direct contact with the fire and causes it to flare. Mistakes made when lighting the grill also cause many injuries.<\/p>\n

Stay safe. Read the directions on how to prepare, use and properly maintain your grill.<\/p>\n

When cooking, don\u2019t linger too close to the grill, and stay focused. Use a clean grease trap and empty it when finished. Also, don\u2019t overload your grill with fatty food, because it creates a grease burden. If you are cooking a lot of food, use multiple grills or plan your cooking over a period of time to avoid a buildup of greasy residue.<\/p>\n

Contact burns<\/h2>\n

The No. 2 most common injuries from grills are contact burns, suffered when your skin makes contact with a hot surface. That could be the grates on the grill itself, as well as the metal cover, side burners, hot coals or even utensils.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnother thing to know about contact burns from the grill is that 40% involve children<\/a> less than 5 years old,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said. \u201cSo use your grill in a location where young children are not able to touch it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Small explosions<\/h2>\n

According to the NFPA, grills cause about 9,000 home fires every year. Most of those are the result of grills located too close to the house, grill fires out of control and explosions, which don\u2019t have to be large to cause a lot of damage.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne rule is to keep your grill at least 10 feet away from any house structure,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said.<\/p>\n

In other words, avoid enclosed or covered porches. If you\u2019re cooking on a wooden deck, keep your grill away from railings, furniture and the like.<\/p>\n

Another piece of advice: Always keep the grill hood open when fueling and lighting the grill. Got that?<\/p>\n

\u201cNever let the gas build up or light the grill with the lid closed,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said.<\/p>\n

Trying to put out fires<\/h2>\n

Other injuries may occur when people panic trying to put out a fire, whether it\u2019s out of control in your grill or has spread to a structure, grass or other material.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing to do is keep a dry powder-type fire extinguisher nearby, whenever you grill. Do not use a water-filled extinguisher. In order to manage the small grease flame under your food, many cooks will use a small spray bottle of water, to keep the flames under control,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said.<\/p>\n

That said, never use water on a large grease fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat combination of water and grease can spread the fire rapidly, causing hot grease burns and a large fireball-type explosion. For a large grease fire, throw on baking soda \u2013 or a bucket of sand,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said.<\/p>\n

Location and preparation<\/h2>\n

\"Father<\/p>\n

Grills come in all types and sizes: gas grills, charcoal grills, smokers, wood-fired, hibachis. All are equally safe if you use them correctly \u2013 or equally unsafe if you don\u2019t.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you talk about ways to prevent grill fires, you want to think first of location and preparation,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said.<\/p>\n

Make sure to locate your grill on a solid, level surface, safely away from anything that might catch fire. Preparation includes making sure your grill is in good working order and there are no rusty, leaking parts.<\/p>\n

More safety tips<\/h2>\n

\u201cThe No. 1 safety tip with a grill is to open the manual and read all safety tips,\u201d Dr. Wipfler said. \u201cRead all directions and note how to properly use and maintain the grill, as well as important mistakes to avoid.\u201d<\/p>\n

He also offers some additional dos and don\u2019ts to the ones already mentioned:<\/p>\n