Urbana Fire Dept. offers fireworks, grilling safety tips
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URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Fireworks and grilling — two of the main ways people celebrated this Memorial Day. But the Urbana Fire Department is asking you to keep some basic safety tips in mind before you break out the lighters.

Tens of 1000’s are hurt by just fireworks alone. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said more than 31,000 are started by them every year. Of those 31,000, 28% of them happened to children 15-years-old or younger. Sparklers aren’t harmless either: they burn at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit which is 300-degrees hotter than the temperature needed to burn glass.

The Urbana Fire Department said you should leave firework shows to the professionals. They also have some tips to stay safe if you’re breaking out the grill for the first time.

“Checking the propane tanks for leaks is going to be key before you start your grilling season,” Urbana Fire Department Lieutenant Blake Kuhns said. “Making sure all the charcoal is properly disposed of as well is important, [and] ensuring the grill is clean and far away from any structures. Annually, we see grill fires on balconies, underneath porches that are an issue. So, pull those out away from the structure.”

To properly get rid of charcoal Kuhns said you should douse it in water and make sure it is cool before putting it in the garbage.

He also said these tips need to be kept in mind past Memorial Day since June and July are the top two months for grilling related fires. But if you follow those steps, you should be set for a safe summer.

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