Over the next week and a half, Clevelanders will celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday. The Cleveland Division of Fire is urging residents to be careful.
At the May 26 Ward 2 meeting, Lt. Tyrelle Kiongozi from the Cleveland Division of Fire offered residents tips for staying safe during this season of barbecues and fireworks.
Barbecue safety
- Do not barbecue on porches or place grills near any low-hanging tree branches
- Keep grills at least 10 feet from all structures
- Be sure that coals are fully extinguished before disposing of them
- Do not place hot coals in plastic garbage bins
- Never leave a hot grill unattended
When it comes to gas grills, Lt. Mike Norman of Cleveland fire offered two more safety tips:
- Light gas grills with the lid open (to minimize the risk of explosion)
- After cooking, turn off the gas at the bottle, not just with the controls on the grill
Fireworks – too hot for tots
“Leave fireworks to the professionals,” Norman said, adding that residents should call 911 with complaints about fireworks.
He said home fireworks displays cause all kinds of problems. For example, he said, two out of five house fires on the Fourth of July will be started by them.
And property damage is only part of the story, as many people sustain injuries when setting off fireworks. He said sparklers, for example, heat to 1,800 degrees, compared to wood, which heats to 900 degrees. “Handing sparklers to children is always dangerous,” he said.
Discovered by Documenters: Documenter Anna Truax found these fire safety tips and more at the May 26 Cleveland City Council Ward 2 Community Meeting. Read the meeting notes here.
The Division of Fire also advises residents to clean up remnants of home fireworks, to make sure that children don’t pick up pyrotechnics with short fuses.
Finally, Norman noted that constant pops from fireworks can stress combat veterans and pets. “Celebrate on the 4th of July itself,” he said.
The National Fire Protection Association, NFPA, suggests skipping the sparklers, bottle rockets and Roman candles and trying out glow sticks, noisemakers and blue and red silly string.
No open burns or fire pits
At the Ward 2 meeting, Kiongozi talked about open burning and fire pits, saying they are prohibited within Cleveland city limits. He said residents should call Cleveland Fire if they see illegal burns.
Ice cream socials
The fire department is planning two more ice cream socials for community members this summer:
- Saturday, June 28, at Fire Station #39 at 15637 Lorain Road from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Fire Station #26 at 9026 Kinsman Road.
