Grilling Fires: The Best Security System is a Well-Informed Homeowner

Summertime means a chance to slow down, unwind, and fire up those steaks on the barbecue. However, before you take the grill out of the garage and purchase new coals, you should know about some statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). According to them, the months of June and July are peak times for home fires to occur. An average of over 8,000 homes suffered fire damage from outdoor grills in 2006-2010 alone. Read on for tips on barbecue safety and what you can do to protect your home and loved ones from fires this season.

1. Test Your Home Alarm System

Whether or not you have any cookouts this summer, there should be a working fire detection system in your home. Install a smoke detector in every room of the house, including hallways. Replace batteries in smoke detectors and test them for operating capacity. The best security systems also can detect for carbon monoxide and will work even through an electrical power outage.

2. Clean Grills Before Operating

Both gas and charcoal grills should be cleaned and inspected every year before use. Check for grease deposits in the grill pit and around handles and dials. If using a gas grill, clean the hose with soapy water and check for possible propane leaks. Do not use if you smell gas or see soap actively bubbling.

3. Keep Your (Grill) Distance from the House

Outdoor grills should be at least ten feet away from the structure of your home. This way, if fire or excess smoke does occur, you will have time to extinguish it before it has a chance of catching onto a flammable structure. Keep grills away from low-hanging vegetation and shrubs for the same reason.

4. Never Leave the Grill Unattended

Even the best security systems won't protect you if you don't exercise precaution. Always stay near a lit grill and never allow children or pets to come closer than three feet from its location. Keep a phone on hand in case you need someone from inside the house to bring grilling items out to you.

5. Do Not Mix Starter Fluids

If using charcoal fluid on a grill, stick with one type only. Mixing starter fluids or adding other flammable compounds can lead to a combustion or release harmful chemicals into the air. In addition, do not add more starter fluid to an existing fire. If the fire is dying down, let it extinguish or turn the grill off (if using electric) before reigniting it.

6. Let Your Grill Cool Down Completely When Finished

Never bring a warm grill indoors or close to the home immediately after using. Wait until the coals have died down completely or, in the case of an electric grill, unplug and wait a few hours for the grill to be cool. When disposing of charcoal, make sure that they are completely cooled beforehand. Dampen them with water as a further precaution.

Employing these tips, as well as using a home alarm system, can significantly reduce your chances of having a grill fire accident this summer. For more information on fire safety tips, as well as knowledge of the best security systems, consult the professionals at Priority 1 Security.​

The Best Security Systems and Preventatives for Summertime Crime

Unfortunately, crime rates rise dramatically in the summer months in all states. While reasons for high summer crime are still largely unknown, a leading suspicion is vacation for juveniles and college-aged individuals who find temptation all-too alluring. July and August are the months when burglaries and violence occur the most, and according to the FBI, crime rates rise up to 16 percent. For homeowners to feel safe at all times, they need to remember to stay especially cautious and take preventative measures in the summer months.

Summer usually brings warm weather, and warm weather invites activity into communities. People go on vacation, others party the night away, and parents take it easy outdoors. It's this easygoing atmosphere that creates a perfect setup for crime. To stay protected, it's important for homeowners to always enlist the best security systems in both their homes and vehicles so they can keep predators at bay at all times. Security systems should include alarms, technology that alerts the local authorities when a break-in or theft occurs, and security cameras so thieves and predators can be caught on tape.

The best security systems begin with knowledgeable homeowners who are aware of their surroundings and are prepared with a plan of action. A homeowner should know how his or her home alarm system works and have a family plan of what to do including where to go and who takes what action in the event of a break-in, violent attack or other crime. If children are in the home, the plan should be reviewed regularly so they memorize the course of action.

A home alarm system can help a family feel safe, but it’s not the only recourse a person has against burglary. Leaving some lights on during day, keeping windows closed, making sure doors are locked at all times, setting the alarm every time you leave (even if for a short period of time), and keeping cars in garages are all tactics to help to deter thieves and predators during the summer months. If you’re on social media, keep your vacation plans private or among friends only, at least until after you return. When opening the blinds, be sure to keep valuables out of sight of anyone who might peek in and keep the outside of your home well-lit so as to deter criminals from hiding in surrounding dark areas.

This is also the season when scam artists peruse neighborhoods, looking for people in their yards or knocking on doors offering some kind of service at a bargain price. Be aware of these scams! The service itself can be illegitimate with shoddy workmanship or stolen materials and even if you initially turn down the service, letting the salesperson into your home gives them a chance to scope it out to possibly return to later.

A homeowner can never be too safe, and even with the best security systems at their disposal should always be prepared to protect themselves in the event of danger with a plan of action. With proper precaution, preventative measures and care, a homeowner stands a greater chance of not falling victim to the seemingly inevitable summertime crime increase.

Summer Safety Tips for Parents and Kids

When the cold weather recedes and families start spending more time outside again, it's vital to consider common safety topics to make sure that the family knows the best way to stay safe with various outdoor activities. No matter what type of pursuit the kids might enjoy, whether it's playing on the swing-set in the backyard or swimming in the neighborhood pool, there are a few safety tips for kids that children need to know to enhance summer safety in SC before taking part in those fun activities.

Helmets and Biking

A helmet is as necessary to bike riding as a seatbelt is to sitting in a moving car. A child should always associate riding a bike with wearing a helmet, and the best example a child may see are his parents wearing helmets, too. Helmets are also necessary when a child is on a skateboard or scooter.

A helmet needs to fit correctly, and when making the purchase of a child's helmet, it's important to try it on to make sure it's not going to move around too much or fall off. There are also subtle differences in helmets which might require a specific helmet purchase depending in the activity in which the kids might participate.

Streets and Vigilance

One of the first safety tips a child will hear in school is that he or she shouldn't talk to strangers. The second set of safety tips for kids will usually involve a lesson on how to cross the street correctly. Kids should stay out of the street as general practice, but it's necessary that each time the street requires crossing, young children have a partner with them.

In addition, it's vital to make sure kids don't run across the street, and that eye contact is always made with the drivers of stationary vehicles to determine whether that person is aware of a pedestrian. Children should also refrain from hurtling out into traffic from between cars or bushes.

Tick Bites and Hiking

Although the danger of ticks wasn't considered too serious several years ago, recent increased rates of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever have made it necessary to warn kids about the danger of wooded areas and overgrown brush where ticks might hide.

In areas where there may be dense concentrations of ticks, it's a good idea to consider wearing long pants and socks to create a barrier between the ticks and the legs. Using a bug repellent is also advisable for the kids and pets. Lastly, reducing contact with overgrown areas makes it easier to improve summer safety in SC and avoid tick infestation.

Water Safety Lessons

Jumping in the pool on a hot summer's day is one of the best activities for children and their parents, but water safety is essential for keeping everyone safe in the water. One of the most important elements of summer safety in SC actually impacts parents the most, since it's vital to consider that it doesn't take a deep pool to create a danger for drowning.

Unfortunately, even very shallow pools represent a drowning danger, so parents must be exceptionally vigilant when their kids are in the pool. It's also important for parents to remain within a few feet of their children at all times while the tykes are swimming.

The preceding topics represent just a few of the safety tips for kids parents should share with their kids when the summer arrives. Even though kids think of the summer as a time to play, it's also the perfect time for valuable lessons in safe behavior.

Priority 1 Security is dedicated to keeping families in SC safe year round. For more information on security systems for your home or business, please visit www.priority1security.com.​