If you are a trucker who finds yourself having some downtime this summer and want to celebrate your time off with a summer barbeque by yourself or with friends and family, then there are ways to do so safely. According to the New York City Fire Department, the summer season around July 4th is the peak barbequing season. 

The FDNY announced that approximately 9,000 fires happen in a year from a grilling accident. 

Safety first comes from preparation. In order to prevent things like a grease fire, the fire department suggests cleaning the grill, both top and bottom, and emptying out the grease pan before starting any actual grilling. They also recommend setting up your grill at least three feet away from any structure or siding. They suggest to then establish a “circle of safety” in which no children or pets are able to get in to prevent burns and other injuries while grilling.

If using a propane grill. They suggest before beginning to grill that you check all tubing that leads to the propane tank. When checking you want to look for any blockages, such as twists in the tubes or a physical obstruction inside or outside that prevents proper flow of the propane. You also want to check for any sort of cracks, holes, or any other issue that may cause a leak. When checking for a leak, be sure to not use an open flame to conduct the checking tests.

New York City’s fire department says to never use any grill or propane tank that may have a leak.

Keep the hoses and tubes from the propane tank well away from the hot grill or anything else that may be hot, such as grease. While setting up the propane tank and checking the tubing, you also will want to check the tank itself. You want to make sure that the tank does not look damaged or obstructed in any way.

In order to keep yourself safe, always use long-handled tools. This will allow you to maintain a safe distance from the grill and prevent burns and splatters. While this tip may be self-explanatory, they also heavily suggest that you never leave the grill unattended. If you are the main person grilling, always make sure you have a backup person who will be available to watch the grill if you have to step away for a moment.

After you have finished grilling, make sure you do not store a propane tank inside or below ground level. The tanks can be very sensitive and can get damaged this way. If you used charcoal as your heat source, you would want to make sure it fully cools before you dispose of it.