Lightning Safety

You’re grilling hamburgers on the backyard patio. As you flip them over, you notice that the sky getting dark. Pretty soon you see a flash of lightning. Then you hear a clap of thunder. What should you do? What precautions should you take? Thunder and lightning storms are a fairly common occurrence. But it’s important to realize just how dangerous lightning can be and the damage it can do.

From 2002 to 2005, the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association says that U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated 31,400 fires started by lightning per year. The fires caused an estimated average of 12 deaths, 57 injuries and $213 million in property damage per year. The National Weather Service reported that lightning strikes caused 47 deaths in 2006. Most of the victims were outside when lightning struck.

To keep everyone safe, NFPA and Minooka Fire Department recommend that you follow these safety guidelines:

• Unplug appliances and other electrical items, such as computers, and turn off air conditioners. If you are unable to unplug them, turn them off.
• Follow the 30-30 rule: When you see lightning, count 30 seconds until you hear thunder. If that time is 30 seconds or less, the thunderstorm is within six miles and is dangerous Seek shelter immediately. The threat of lightning continues longer than most people think. Wait at least 30 minutes after the last sound of thunder before leaving your shelter.
• If you can hear thunder, you are within striking distance of lightning. Seek shelter immediately.
• Stop outdoor activities at the first clap of thunder and get inside a house, large building, or a hard-topped vehicle.
• When inside, stay off corded phones, computers, and other electronic equipment that put you in direct contact with electricity or plumbing. Avoid washing your hands, showering, bathing, doing laundry, or washing dishes.
• If you are in open water, go to land and seek shelter immediately.
• If you feel your hair stand on end, indicating that lightning is about to strike, squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands over your head between your knees. Make yourself the smallest target possible to minimize your contact with the ground. Do not lie flat on the ground. This is a last resort when a building or hard-topped vehicle is not available.
• If a person is struck by lightning, call 911 and get medical care immediately. Lightning strike victims carry no electrical charge; attend to them immediately. Check the person’s breathing, heartbeat and pulse.

These simple precautions during a lightning storm can save lives and decrease the chances of injury and damage.

GRILLING SAFETY

Fire in the grill, under hot dogs and burgers, is a welcome sight at the family cookout. But anywhere else, fire can make your summer barbecue memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Facts & Figures

Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas and foot traffic.

Keep children and pets away from the grill area: declare a three-foot "safe zone" around the grill.

Put out several long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty of clearance from heat and flames when flipping burgers.

Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.

Charcoal Grills

Purchase the proper starter fluid and store the can out of reach of children, and away from heat sources.

Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited, and never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid to get the fire going.

Propane Grills

Check the gas cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will quickly reveal escaping propane by releasing bubbles. If you determine your grill has a gas leak, by smell or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame:

• Turn off the gas tank and grill.
• If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again.
• If the leak does not stop, call the fire department

If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not attempt to move the grill.

Use only equipment with the label of a recognized testing laboratory. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it.

Never store propane gas cylinders in buildings or garages. If you store a gas grill inside during the winter, disconnect the cylinder and leave it outside.

SPRING Poison Prevention Safety Tips

GARDENERS BEWARE

Gardeners and homeowners should use caution when choosing plants during the spring planting season. Many plants, trees and shrubs can e harmful, causing skin rash or irritation.

Other plants can cause vomiting or diarrhea, if eaten Even a small amount of some plants may cause more serious problems of the heart, kidneys or other organs, and possibly even death.

Plants that can be toxic include Lily-of-the-valley, azalea, rhododendron, amaryllis, morning glory, and buckeye. CLICK HERE For a complete list of mildly hazardous plants click on MCHC.org and for highly hazardous plants click HERE.

Gardening Safety Tips:

• Keep all house plants out of children’s reach.
• Teach children never to put mushrooms, berries or any part of a plant into their mouths.
• Label all the plants in and around the house with their common and botanical names. Check with local greenhouse or florist to identify unknown plants.
• Read the IPC’s toxic plant list to find out which plants may be toxic and label them appropriately.

LAWN CARE AND PESTICIDE SAFETY

Fertilizers can irritate the skin and stomach. After using fertilizer, make sure everyone stays off the lawn/grass for two days or until it rains.

Pesticides also are dangerous poisoning hazards and are likely to be more toxic than lawn fertilizers.

Safety Tips:

• Wear protective clothing (gloves, glasses, long sleeves, and pants)
• Do not apply on a windy day. Position yourself so that the wind will not blow pesticide spray or dust into your face. Consider wearing a disposable mask.
• Keep children and pets away during application and until the product dries, or as directed on the label.
• - Always store lawn chemicals in the original containers, complete with labels that list ingredients, directions for use and first-aid steps in case of an accidental poisoning.
• Wash your hands with soap and change your clothes after applying a pesticide

For more information about seasonal hazards, CLICK for the Illinois Poison Center- Spring Brochure.

Or visit the Illinois Poison Center website: www.mchc.org/ipc/

For additional information on FIRE SAFETY please contact Cindy Wilson, Fire and Life Safety Coordinator at the Minooka Fire Protection District on the weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.