From Hershel Lee, Travis County Fire Marshal

Before you fire up the grill this weekend for your family barbeque, here are a few safety tips recommended by the National Fire Protection Association.

• Propane and charcoal BBQ grills must only be used outdoors.  If used indoors, or in any enclosed spaces, such as tents, they pose both a fire hazard and the risk of exposing occupants to toxic gases and potential asphyxiation.
• Position the grill well away from siding, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
• Place the grill a safe distance from lawn games, play areas and foot traffic.
• Keep children and pets away from the grill area: declare a three-foot “safe zone” around the grill.
• Put out several long-handled grilling tools to give the chef plenty of clearance from heat and flames when flipping burgers.
• Periodically remove grease or fat buildup in trays below grill so it cannot be ignited by a hot grill.

Charcoal grills/Wood smokers

• Purchase the proper starter fluid and store the container out of reach of children, and away from heat sources.
• Never add charcoal starter fluid when coals or kindling have already been ignited, and never use any flammable or combustible liquid other than charcoal starter fluid to get the fire going.
• Ashes from charcoal or wood must be disposed of safely.  Place the ashes in a metal container and place the container on a non-combustible surface until cool.  After cooling, douse ashes with water before final disposal.  Never dispose of ashes in a dumpster.

Propane grills

• Check the gas cylinder hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year.  A light soap and water solution applied to the hose will quickly reveal escaping propane by releasing bubbles.  If you determine your grill has a gas leak, by smell or the soapy bubble test, and there is no flame:

o       Turn off the gas tank and grill.

o       If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again.

o       If the leak does not stop, call the fire department.

• If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department.  Do not attempt to move the grill.
• Use only equipment with the label of a recognized testing laboratory.  Follow the manufacturers’ instructions on how to set up the grill and maintain it.
• Never store propane gas cylinders in buildings or garages.  If you store a gas grill inside during the winter, disconnect the cylinder and leave the cylinder outside.

From Travis County Fire Marshal Hershel Lee:

Travis County is currently experiencing an extreme drought.  There is an increased risk of fire during drought or heat wave conditions.  The Travis county Fire Marshal’s Office would like to remind citizens about the importance of taking steps each day to prevent fires during these extreme conditions.  The following tips are provided as general guidelines:

• Never leave barbeque grills unattended.  When barbecuing, place your grill on concrete instead of the grass.  If using charcoal or wood, make sure that the fire has been extinguished by soaking it with a garden hose before disposing of the coals.  Remember that there is currently a burn ban in Travis County and no uncovered flame or pit is allowed.
• Dispose of cigarette butts in an appropriate container.  Flipping them from the window of your car is never a good idea and can be disastrous in times of drought and high fire risk.
• Teach children safe fire behaviors and do not allow them access to lighters or matches.
• Park vehicles so that the exhaust system does not come in contact with dry grass, leaves, or weeds.
• Notify the electric power company when dead trees or overhanging limbs endanger the electric wires.  The wires may touch each other or the ground causing sparks that start fires.

Remember that less than 10 percent of all wildfires are started by weather, such as lightning!  More than 90 percent are started by careless people and arsonists.

Two crime-fighting tools for Wells Branch residents

SpotCrime, our newest tool, allows residents to sign up for daily messages to be sent to their cell and/or email with a list of crimes that occurred the previous day.    All crimes are plotted on a map and all entries state the block in which the crime occurred (i.e. 144XX as opposed to 14417).  Residents can choose to receive information on criminal activity within a 1, 2, 5, or 10 mile radius of their homes.  Register to receive FREE daily updates at www.spotcrime.com.

Beyond updates, the site itself can be a little cumbersome.  If you prefer not to register, you can access Wells Branch data by going to www.spotcrime.com and selecting Texas in the top left hand corner.  Scroll down to Travis County and select Travis County neighborhoods.  Click on Wells Branch Crime Map.  This selection covers all of Wells Branch for approximately 30 days.  Under Travis County Crime Maps, you may access information for the entire county for the last two years.  This data isn’t broken out by neighborhood though. The criminal defense lawyers based in Seattle area is whom you should contact in case you need some legal assistance. You could also hire a lawyer from https://giannicriminallaw.com/ for help.

CitizenObserver has been available to Travis County residents for some time now.  A web based notification toolset for law enforcement, it enables citizens to receive and respond to text, email, and web alerts from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office  Alerts can be targeted geographically when an area faces a specific kind of threat, whether it’s a sex offender, murder suspect, or a spike in break-ins.  Alerts are received by residents according to their preference of text message, email or both at no charge.  Sign up for this service at www.citizenobserver.com. The falsely accused sex crime lawyers also deal with other crime related issues and help attain justice.

We all benefit from receiving up to date information; in the past, it’s taken months to receive crime reports.  Awareness of our surroundings and current knowledge of crime  & lawyers defending juveniles from criminal charges in the community allow us to take steps to remain safe in our neighborhood. Travis County has provided us with great resources with which to keep informed.   Let’s take advantage of them!