Life in the great outdoors not without its dangers
Jun. 25—LIMA — Nothing can spoil an otherwise beautiful summer afternoon more than mosquitoes, wasps or bees. Or snakes. Or poison ivy. Or a barbeque grill fire.
How to avoid those hazards and others was the topic Friday morning at the Lima Area Chamber of Commerce's monthly Real American Sunrise get-together that focused on summertime safety.
Dan Hodges, naturalist with the Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District, and Bath Township Fire Chief Joe Kitchen were the guest speakers for the chamber function and both touched on a few pitfalls that accompany life in the great outdoors.
Kitchen said fire departments across the country respond to 5,700 grill fires annually. Many of those incidents end with serious damage to nearby structures while other incidents have ended in deaths.
"We do respond to those types of fires every year; probably more than people would think," Kitchen said. "People should not hesitate to call the fire department if a grill fire gets out of hand. A small fire can turn into a big one very quickly. Firefighters will not make fun of you if you call us. I promise."
Regular grill maintenance goes a long way to preventing such occurrences, Kitchen said. Grills should be given a thorough examination each spring before their first use of the season, he said. Checking connections with a spray bottle filled with soapy water will help detect gas leaks and removing grease build-up frequently during the grilling season will help reduce unwanted problems.
The fire chief also stressed that grills should only be used outdoors and well away from homes and other structures.
"You'd be surprised how many people, maybe on rainy days or during the winter, will fire up their grills in the garage. Even if there's no fire, the carbon monoxide fumes can get inside the home and make people sick," he said.
Charcoal grills are not immune from safety concerns, the chief noted. He stressed that coals should be allowed to cool completely before their disposal in a metal container.
Hodges focused on the flora and fauna residents may find in the great outdoors that could lead to a less-than-enjoyable day with nature.
The Johnny Appleseed Metropolitan Park District oversees 16 parks with 30 miles of trails spanning more than 1,500 acres. Along those trails, poisonous plants and threatening critters and creatures lie in wait.
From poison ivy — "Leaves of three, let it be," is the rule of thumb — to stinging nettle and poison hemlock, not all plants found in the great outdoors are human friendly, Hodges said. In the insect world there are a variety of species — ticks, chiggers or mosquitoes — that are waiting to feast on human blood. Bees, wasps and yellow jackets can also be a nuisance.
"Just leave them alone and you'll probably be okay," Hodges said.
The same goes with the variety of snakes and spiders — none of which are poisonous — along with mushrooms and berries found in the metro parks.
"I'm not trying to give our parks a bad name," Hodges joked. "We want people to enjoy them. But if you don't know what it is, don't pick it up. And don't eat it."
