Food-safety experts issue grilling tips

Food-safety specialists interviewed by WILX on May 20 warned that Memorial Day cookouts can create “serious health risks” when people mishandle food, adding a seasonal safety message as grilling activity rises ahead of the holiday weekend. The Firefighters Association of the State of New York, or FASNY, separately urged grill users to follow standard fire precautions as May through August brings peak months for grill fires. The U.S. Coast Guard and related boating-safety campaigns also used the run-up to the holiday to press a parallel message on the water: prepare before leaving shore and do not operate a boat while impaired. Together, the advisories point to the same weekend pattern — bigger crowds, more outdoor activity and more preventable accidents. ### What are food-safety specialists warning grillers about before Memorial Day? WILX reported from Lansing, Michigan, on May 20 that food-safety specialists said improper food handling at cookouts can cause illness, making preparation and storage as important as the grilling itself. The station framed the warning around Memorial Day gatherings, when families and friends typically move food outdoors for longer periods. (wilx.com) The WILX report said the core risks center on safe prep, storage and temperature control. That means paying attention not only to how meat is cooked, but also to how long food sits out and how it is handled before it reaches the grill. ### Why are firefighters talking about grills at the same time? FASNY said in guidance published ahead of the holiday that grilling activity increases statewide as Memorial Day approaches and that May through August are peak months for grill fires. (wilx.com) North Country Now, citing the association, reported that the group urged residents to follow grill precautions as cookout season ramps up. The same report cited National Fire Protection Association data saying gas grills were involved in an average of 9,287 home fires per year. That number helps explain why firefighter groups are pairing routine holiday reminders with statistics on residential fire risk. ### What are boating officials emphasizing for the holiday weekend? (northcountrynow.com) NBC 6 South Florida reported on May 20 that the U.S. Coast Guard was urging boaters to prepare for a busy Memorial Day weekend, with one Coast Guard member saying “preparation prevents accidents.” The station said Florida recorded 51 boating deaths last year and noted that the state has more than 1 million registered recreational watercraft. (northcountrynow.com) The Coast Guard message focused on basic readiness before departure. NBC 6 said officials were warning that heavy holiday traffic on the water leaves less room for mistakes, especially when equipment problems or weather changes arise. ### Where does Operation Dry Water fit into this? Operation Dry Water said on May 19 that it was urging boaters to stay sober as Memorial Day weekend opens the peak recreational boating season. (nbcmiami.com) In a statement distributed that day, the campaign said alcohol is responsible for 1 in 5 boating deaths in the United States where the primary cause is known. The campaign’s website says Operation Dry Water is a year-round boating-under-the-influence awareness and enforcement effort. It also lists the 2026 national heightened awareness and enforcement weekend for July 3 through July 5. ### What does that mean for people heading out this weekend? Memorial Day weekend advisories from WILX, FASNY and the Coast Guard all point to the same concrete steps: keep food handled and stored safely, treat grills as fire hazards rather than backyard fixtures, and prepare boats before departure while avoiding alcohol or drugs at the helm. (prnewswire.com) Those warnings came from separate agencies and news reports published between May 19 and May 20. (nasbla.org) July 3 through July 5 is the next nationally scheduled heightened Operation Dry Water enforcement period, according to the campaign website, while Memorial Day weekend safety messaging is already active through local stations, firefighter groups and Coast Guard outreach. (nasbla.org) (wilx.com)