If you’re grilling burgers or hot dogs this Fourth of July, the Arizona Burn Center — Valleywise Health recommends using common sense to avoid injuries around the barbecue.
Arizona Burn Center director Dr. Kevin Foster said he frequently treats patients who are burned by propane- or coal-powered grills.
“Don’t pour water directly on the coals. That can cause steam which can cause a really bad scald," Foster said. "If, by chance, something catches on fire and you need to control the fire, baking powder works really well.”
Foster also said he sees a lot of children who get injured by touching hot grills. When using the barbecue, he recommends keeping the kids inside or at a safe distance.
"Don't have kids around," Foster said. "You never know when they're going to walk up and touch something and all it takes is just a fraction of a second touching a hot surface and you end up with a bad burn."
More tips from the American Red Cross
- Never grill indoors. Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, the deck, tree branches or anything that could catch fire.
- Always supervise a grill when in use.
- Don’t add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
