Grill safely at apartments for holiday
Memorial Day is fast approaching and you might be planning to hang out with family and friends or grilling up some delicious food in your apartment community. But before you do, make sure you know if your apartment allows you to have a personal grill on your patio or balcony. If you are allowed a personal grill, make sure you place it at least 10 feet away from the building. Most apartments do not allow residents to have these personal grills as they are a fire hazard. If you cannot have a personal grill in your apartment home, take advantage of the community grills. While your guests hang out by the pool, you may want use one of the community grills to make a delicious dinner.
As a resident, it is important to take care of the community grills as if they were your own, to insure the safety of yourself and others. The first thing you should do is clean the grill. Taking a few minutes to clean the grill and wipe down the grates will help keep your work station clean and make your food taste better too.
Once your grill is clean, read the instructions on the grill to light the fire safely. While the grills might be placed far enough away from the apartment buildings, be sure to watch your heat source. After your grill is lit, keep an eye on your food while it’s cooking. Never leave your grill unattended. Keep all of your cooking tools nearby so you don’t have to walk away from your food.
Once all your food is cooked, make sure you extinguish the fire or turn off the gas depending on your grill. If we forget to turn off the gas, or we do not close the propane valve all the way it can be very dangerous. With a charcoal barbecue, be sure the flames are completely extinguished. Be thorough, and triple check and make sure you have safely turned off any gas and/or extinguished any burning coals.
Lastly, clean up your work space for the next person. Clean the grill and grates with a grill brush or tin foil and tongs. By being respectful and careful when using community grills, you will be sure to have a great Memorial Day!