Do's and don'ts of grilling season

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TOLEDO, Ohio — Many Americans have a grill or smoker at home but if they're not used carefully, someone could get hurt or even start a fire.

The National Fire Protection Association says in 2017 - 2021, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 11,421 home fires involving grills, hibachis or barbecues per year.

When placing your grill outside, it should be at least 10 feet away from your home and should always be placed outside your home.

"Extent of injuries depends on not just the temperature that you're exposed to but also the length of time that you're exposed to that temperature," said Hannah Fairchild, Trauma and Burn Education Coordinator for Mercy Health." So at temperatures of about 160 degrees, if you maintain skin contact for a full second, you can get third-degree burns."

Dousing charcoal with lighter fluid is another big mistake. Although it does make it easier to get your charcoal grill started, adding lighter fluid to lit coals is an especially bad idea because it can easily cause a flare-up. Instead, use a charcoal starter to get things going.

Everyone wants to be outdoors when the weather is nice but it's important that kids and pets don't play near the grill. It's very easy for them to bump into or touch part of the hot grill.

"And it's hard for younger kids to understand the dangers and how hot that grill can be so expecting them to know not to touch it even though you tell them, it's not always realistic," said Fairchild. "It's better to just prevent the injury in the first place by keeping kids away from the grill. Usually, you want to have about a three foot no kid, no pet zone around any hot surface."

Another helpful tip is to avoid using a brush with wire bristles. Instead, use a brush with nylon bristles to clean out those grills. Sometimes wire bristles can fall off, get stuck to the grill or your food and may become lodged into your throat.

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