American Red Cross Grilling Safety and Upcoming Course Schedule

Newton, NJ, July 27, 2011 — Warm weather means it’s time to head outside and cook up a great meal on the grill.  This fun seasonal ritual has a flip side, though—namely, an onset of injuries and home fires due to careless cooking practices.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments in the U.S. respond to thousands of home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues every year.  Home fires involving grills can start on a patio, balcony or open porch, such as a deck.  These fires cause millions of dollars in property damage, and can result in severe injury or even death.

The American Red Cross has some tips you can follow to stay safe while enjoying those tasty treats at your cookout.

Pick the right location

• Never grill indoors – not in your house, camper, tent or any enclosed area.

• Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use, and make sure everyone (including pets) stays away from the grill.

• Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, the deck, tree branches, or anything that could catch fire. Hot grease or ashes could spill from the grill onto the wooden deck or into dry leaves or grass.

Use the proper tools and techniques

• Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.

• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.

• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using grills.

• Be ready to close the lid and turn off the grill to cut off the fuel if necessary.

• Keep a fireproof pan under the grill to catch any falling ash or grease.

• Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups.

Before you even start grilling, be sure to follow food-safety practices, too—wash your hands in hot soapy water before preparing food, after each time you touch raw meat, and after any interruptions such as using the bathroom, handling pets or interacting with children.

Upcoming classes include:

On Thursday, August 4th an Adult CPR/AED course will be offered from 6:00pm to 10:30pm.  The course imparts the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care for breathing emergencies, perform CPR, and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to save victims of sudden cardiac arrest.  The fee is $70.00.

On Monday, August 15th a Standard First Aid course will be offered from 6:00pm to 10:00pm.  This course is intended to teach lay responders the knowledge and skills necessary to give care in an emergency, help sustain life and minimize the consequences of injury or sudden illness until medical help arrives.  The fee is $70.00.

On Friday, August 19th an Infant/Child CPR course will be offered from 8:30am to 12:00pm.  The course imparts the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care for breathing emergencies and perform CPR specifically for children under the age of nine.  The fee is $70

On Thursday, August 25th a Babysitter’s Training course is being offered from 9:00am to 3:30pm.  The Babysitter’s Training course has a unique interactive, educational format that tasks youth, ages 11 – 15 years of age, with activities such as identifying safety problems around the house and yard and selecting age-appropriate toys and games for children in their care.  The fee is $85.00 and includes a zippered portfolio w/ a first aid kit.

To register for a class please visit www.redcross.org and click Take a Class from the Preparing and Getting Trained drop-down menu, or call 800-RED-CROSS.

(We no longer take registrations at our chapter phone number/website)

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.  The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.  For more information, please visit www.redcross.org or call 800-RED-CROSS.