MetLife Auto & Home(R) Offers Grilling Tips to Keep Home Fires Burning Safely

According to MetLife Auto & Home, casual cookouts can turn dangerous -- and sometimes deadly -- if safety is ignored. "Every year, we see dozens of fire-related claims reported throughout the summer because of simple carelessness," said Mike Convery, vice president and chief claim officer at MetLife Auto & Home. "Keeping safety basics top of mind can help guarantee that your meal and your cookout are well done."

Follow these easy pointers to make grilling safer:

    --  Keep barbecue grills on a level surface away from the house, garage and,
        most importantly, children and pets. When grilling on your patio, make
        sure that all furniture and accessories are far from the grill. On
        balconies, it is always safer to move festivities to available lawn
        space. Never grill inside the home or garage even if it is raining.
    --  For gas grills, always store gas cylinders outside and away from your
        house, and be sure the valves are turned off when not in use. Check the
        tubes regularly for cracking, brittleness, and leaks in the connections.
        To determine if there is a leak, simply pour soapy water over the line
        with the gas valve turned open. If gas were escaping, bubbles would
        appear. Should you detect a leak, immediately turn off the gas, and
        don't use the grill until the leak is repaired.
    --  Keep lighted cigarettes, matches, and open flames away from the grill,
        and move the gas hoses as far away as possible from hot surfaces and
        grease. Use a can to catch excess grease.
    --  For charcoal grills, use only starter fluids designed for your grill and
        never use gasoline. Limit the amount of fluid used. If the fire is too
        low, use dry kindling and add more charcoal, if necessary. To avoid a
        flash fire -- a fire that spreads rapidly through the vapors of an
        ignitable liquid -- never add more liquid fuel to a lighted grill.
    --  When using bamboo or wood skewers, soak them in cool water prior to use
        so they won't ignite on the grill.
    --  Keep a fire extinguisher accessible, and never leave a grill unattended
        once it has been lit. If an extinguisher isn't available, consider
        keeping a bucket of sand or a garden hose nearby.
    --  Never allow burned coals to smolder in any container on a wooden deck,
        and make sure to soak your coals before disposing of them by wrapping
        them in heavy-duty aluminum foil and putting them in a non-combustible
        container away from the house.

"These precautions should be used for all outdoor cooking devices, including propane turkey fryers and outdoor fire pits," said Convery. "Above all, remember that whatever you're cooking with outdoors will remain hot for hours and that wooden surfaces, such as decks, can present fire hazards, so never place cooking devices directly upon them. We have received serious fire damage claims, some involving loss of life, that started because cooks forgot that the party isn't over until the last flame has been extinguished."

For a comprehensive look at fire safety protection, MetLife Auto & Home offers a free brochure on "Fire Safety," featuring useful information about fire-related subjects, including how to plan an escape route, seasonal safety tips, and safety information related to heating your home. A coloring and activity book is also available for children entitled "Learn About Fire Safety with the PEANUTS(TM) Gang" that helps children learn critical emergency information, the steps to fire safety, and how to develop escape routes to use in the event of a fire. The brochure and coloring book are available free from 1-800-MET-LIFE (1-800-638-5433).

MetLife Auto & Home, an affiliate of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET) is one of the nation's leading personal line property and casualty insurance companies, with more than 2.7 million policies in force. For more information about MetLife Auto & Home, visit MetLife's Web site at www.metlife.com.

        MetLife Auto & Home is a brand of Metropolitan Property and Casualty
                Insurance Company and its Affiliates, Warwick, RI.

    Contact:  Ted Mitchell (401) 827-3236  David Hammarstrom (401) 827-2273
              tjmitchell@metlife.com       dhammarstrom@metlife.com

SOURCE MetLife Auto & Home

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