Summer is the season of cookouts! Stay safe when grilling by:

• Checking grills for rust, insects, spiders, grease, and other debris before use.
• Replace worn gas hoses.
• Never grill indoors, in a garage, breezeway, or carport.
• Grills should only be used at least 10 feet away from your house or any building.

Check out these grilling fire statistics:

• Children under five accounted for an average of 2,000 or 39% of the contact-type burns per year. These burns typically occurred when someone, often a child, bumped into, touched, or fell on the grill, grill part, or hot coals.
• Gas grills were involved in an average of 8,900 home fires per year, including 3,900 structure fires and 4,900 outdoor fires annually. Leaks or breaks were primarily a problem with gas grills. Leaks or breaks caused ten percent of gas grill structure fires and 22% of outside gas grill fires.
• Charcoal or other solid-fueled grills were involved in 1,300 home fires per year, including 600 structure fires and 600 outside fires annually.

To learn more on how to safely grill, visit the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).