Kids & Campfires: Fischer’s Safety Guide

Camping season is here, and there’s no better way to make great memories than by gathering around the fire and cooking up a great dinner together.

If you want to introduce your kids to the joys of cooking over an open fire, Fischer’s^® hot dogs are a great way to do it. They’re already fully cooked, there’s no need to worry about undercooking them. Also, since they always taste delicious, they’re likely to give the S’mores a run for their money!

To avoid any fire-related owies, here are some tips to create a safe environment for your kids while they cook over the campfire.

1. 1. First of all, make sure having a fire is permitted in your area. Many areas of the country restrict fire-building during parts of the year due to dry conditions and potential forest fire hazard.
   2. If fire is allowed, make sure to not overbuild the fire. While a six-foot-tall inferno may look impressive, glowing embers are actually better for cooking than raging flames, as they’re less likely to catch your food on fire and are more comfortable to sit around. Additionally, a big fire arranged in a teepee or log cabin-like structure may collapse as the wood burns, creating a dangerous situation for anyone gathered near.
   3. If it’s windy out, stack extra wood upwind from the fire to create a windbreak. Since oxygen fuels a fire, this can help create a calmer, less chaotic fire.
   4. Equip yourself with roasting forks that are 24″ or longer. Anything shorter and your kids may need to lean in closer to the fire than is safe or comfortable. There are plenty of roasting forks available for purchase in the 32″ to 45″ range. A grill grate that sets up over and across a campfire is another option if preferred over roasting forks.
   5. If using roasting forks, advise your kids not to run with them or swing them around carelessly. The tines can be sharp, and the food on it scalding hot (or even ablaze!), and both running and swinging create situations that increase the likelihood of someone else getting hurt.
   6. Protect bare skin by wearing pants and closed-toe shoes. Even though summer nights may be warm, wearing these items protects bare skin from the occasional spark that may snap, crackle, pop right out of the fire from time to time.
   7. Be prepared for the unexpected by having water or a fire extinguisher on hand. Most fire departments recommend having five gallons of water on hand to pour on a fire at the end of the night to put it out completely, so it’s wise to have that ready from the beginning.
   8. Last but not least, always have an adult to supervise kids around a fire at all times and never leave a campfire unattended.

Do you hear that? The Great Outdoors are calling!

Now it’s just up to you to heed the call and make some smiles with Fischer’s^® hot dogs and your family gathered around the campfire.