Grilling safety tips for the summer

Grilling season is about to be in full swing, so officials are offering safety tips to pass along to outdoor chefs. 

Fire officials say before starting up the grill, make sure you clear any gas connections and move your grill out from under any low-hanging objects. They also advise to keep your grill at least 10 feet away from your house and any other flammable objects, and to make the area around the grill a 'no play' zone for any pets and children in the area.

Fortunately, fire officials say while grill-related structure fires are fairly rare, they do happen.

"We don't get called out on a lot of them, and we're very fortunate in that. We're hoping that people heed our suggestions and our warnings every year, but we'll run a couple of them," said Mark Keller, with Savannah Fire. 

While grilling this summer, remember Fire officials'  most useful tip: never use a grill indoors or in any unventilated area.