So as we approach Memorial Day and the dog days of summer, many of us have thoughts in our minds of trav- eling on vacation, trips to the beach, and backyard barbeques. Well, as we commit to these different events, there are a few reminders that I want to share for us to keep in mind and to pass on to our families, friends, and clients.

In a land where three out of five house- holds own a gas barbeque grill, odds have it that there will be a substantial amount of fires related to this statistic. For instance, each year approximately 8,800 home fires are caused by outdoor barbeques, and almost half of all injuries involving bar- beque grills are due to thermal burns. Statistics also indicate that half of these grill owners will barbeque year-round, however, July is the peak month for barbeque grill fires followed by May, June and August.

The following are a few more interesting statistics regarding barbeque grill casualties:

In 2012, 16,900 patients went to emer- gency rooms because of injuries involving grills.
One of every six (16%) home struc- ture fires in which grills were involved in ignition, something that could catch fire was too close to the grill.
Overall, leaks or breaks were factors in one of every five reported grill fires.
Gas grills contribute to a higher num- ber of home fires overall than their charcoal counterparts.

In addition, from 2007 to 2011, fire departments in our country answered an average of 156,600 actual home structure fire alarms where some sort of cooking equipment was involved in the ignition, or where the fire was identified to be at a cook- ing apparatus and did not spread past the device.

As per an annual survey taken by the US Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System and NFPA’s fire department, these types of fires caused an average of 400 civilian deaths, 5,080 report- ed civilian fire injuries, and $853 million in direct property damage each year. Additionally, these events were the cause of two out of every five home fires (43%), home fire injuries (38%), deaths in the home (16%) and directly related fire caused property damage (12%).

Furthermore, with respect to all house- hold fires caused by cooking equipment:

57% were caused by a range or cook- top and responsible for – 86% of civilian deaths – 77% of civilian injuries
16% caused by an oven or rotisserie and responsible for – 4% of civilian deaths – 6% of civilian injuries
5% from a microwave and responsible for – 1% of civilian deaths – 3% of civilian injuries
4% from portable cooking or warming unit and responsible for – 6% of civilian deaths – 4% of civilian injuries

So armed with the above statistics, I share with you some common sense rules to help prevent outdoor summer barbeque related fires and injuries:

Grilling Safety

Propane and charcoal BBQ grills should only be used outdoors.
The grill should be placed well away from the home, 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 and in trays below the grill.
Never leave your grill unattended.

Charcoal grills

There are several ways to get the charcoal ready to use. Charcoal chimney starters allow you to start the charcoal using newspaper as a fuel.
If you use a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid. Never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to the fire.
Keep charcoal fluid out of the reach of children and away from heat sources.
There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure to use an extension cord for out- door use.
When you are finished grilling, let the coals completely cool before dis- posing in a metal container.

Propane grills

Check the gas tank hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. Apply a light soap and water solution to the hose. A propane leak will release bub- bles. If your grill has a gas leak by smell or the soapy bubble test and there is no flame, turn off the gas tank and grill. If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a profession- al before using it again. If the leak does not stop, call the fire department. If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.

So for those who are going to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend, this year is estimated to be the most highly traveled holiday by car in over 10 years. Over 37 million folks in our country will travel more than 49 miles between May 21st and May 25th, up 4.7% over last year, with nine out of ten travelers going by car.

The reason for this uptick in travel is “fueled” (sorry, couldn’t resist that one!) by lower gas prices and a rising economy. Personally, I think that the horrendous winter that we had here in the northeast is also causing people to want to get away to celebrate and enjoy as many days of summer as possible.

Speaking of celebrating, a very special heartfelt and loving congratulations to my dear friends Alan and Roslyn Plafker ( Member Brokerage , Queens, NY) on their marriage this weekend! All the best, Mazel Tov, and Cent’anni to the happy couple!

Well, that’s all for now, and until next time, be safe in your travels, and please enjoy the weekend responsibly.

Ciao for now!

Grill Baby Grill!

Michael Loguercio