Outdoor Cooking and Parties

If you like to entertain at home, it is important to make sure that you can keep yourself, your home and your guests safe. Here are some common sense suggestions to help you plan ahead.

• Check your homeowners insurance policy for medical and liability coverages. Unfortunately, even the best prepared host can't always prevent accidents from happening.
• Walk around the grounds before your party to check for potential hazards such as tools or kids' toys left on the ground, or rocks and planters that could cause someone to trip.
• Move your gas grill, charcoal grill or barbecue pit off to the side where no one can run into it or lean against it by accident--especially if you are cooking outside.
• Supervise all lawn games, especially horseshoes or darts. Better yet, move to a more secluded or marked off area to prevent injuries.
• Watch placement of citronella candles or torches used to ward off mosquitoes to avoid injuries to adults and children.
• Make sure all pool or hot tub activity is monitored, or hire a community lifeguard if you are expecting many people with small children. When pool is not in use, lock the gate so that children cannot wander in unattended.
• Be aware that if you serve alcohol, you are responsible for how much your guests drink. Use a key bowl to collect car keys, provide transportation such as taxis for guests who may need help getting home safely, or provide sleeping arrangements for guests to stay overnight at your home.
• Protect yourself when barbecuing by wearing a heavy apron and an oven mitt that fits high up over your forearm. If you get burned, run cool water over the burn for 10 to 15 minutes. Don't use butter or a salve on burns because these seal in heat and can damage the tissue further. If you receive a serious burn seek medical attention promptly.
• Never use a barbecue grill inside your home. In addition to the fire hazard of indoor grilling, the grill can easily cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Use starter fluid, never gasoline, when using a charcoal grill. Don't add liquid fuel to re-ignite or build up a fire, as flash fires can result.
• Before discarding coals, soak with water and leave the grill away from the house until completely cool.
• Always store the gas grill cylinder away from structures and remember to turn off the valves when not in use.
• Check for any leaks in gas grill connections by using a soap-and-water mix that will show bubbles if gas escapes.