Grilling out this summer? Firefighters say to take these steps before firing up

CHESAPEAKE, Va. - It was a sunny, summer-like day above Chesapeake Fire Station 4 last week and the crew there invited me to join them for a cookout lunch.

But before throwing burgers and dogs on the grill, Capt. Steven Bradley shared with me some steps he says everyone should take before firing up.

“I wanna make sure it’s on a flat-level surface, like it is here. It’s on a concrete pad," Bradley said. "Manufacturer recommendations and the Fire Code also say you should stay ten feet away from combustible structures.”

Anthony Sabella/WTKR

Bradley explained combustible includes structures made of wood. He also says to watch for trees or structures hanging directly above.

From there, firefighters recommend the following steps:

• Deep clean your grill at least once per year, or more often, if it's used frequently
• Clean fat, grease or leftover food from the grill and check inside for any deposits. They can lead to a fire.
• If you're using a gas grill, spray a mixture of soap and water along the connections. If bubbles appear, it could mean a gas leak that should be addressed before the grill is started.
• For charcoal grills, once you're finished cooking, Bradley says to deposit hot briquettes into a metal can and give them plenty of time to cool off. He says water can help with that.

Before long, hot dogs and hamburgers are sizzling on the fire station's grill and hungry firefighters are standing by. But despite all the safety checks prior, the grill still had a small fire appear.

Anthony Sabella/WTKR

“Shut the lid if you can do it safely. You may have to go around the back of the grill to push the lid forward. Shut the grill and turn off the heat," Capt. Bradley advises for that kind of situation.

He also says to keep a spray bottle of just water to douse small fires and, in the case of larger flames, make sure the fire extinguisher isn't too far away.

All steps to take to ensure your family cookout is safe, fun and delicious.