HOLLYWOOD, FLA. (WSVN) - Officials are advising the public to take extra precautions while using their generators and grills during incoming Hurricane Dorian.
Long lines could be seen at propane refill stations in Northwest Miami-Dade and Hollywood, Thursday afternoon.
David Phillips came to the refill station as part of his Hurricane Dorian preparations.
“Getting propane. Gotta be ready. Gotta feed the kids. Gotta cook something,” Phillips said while loading propane into his truck. “Hope it don’t hit, but it’s gonna hit us, so everybody get ready and say a lot of prayers.”
“Stocking up for the worst,” Brent Balkissoon said. “Hopefully, the hurricane bypasses us, but it doesn’t look too good.”
The Big Minni Food Store in Hollywood, off the Davie Road Extension, receives deliveries twice a day.
“We’re just filling these tanks up and making sure everybody gets propane,” owner Samar Hussein said. “Lines are not that bad, but everyone’s been really cooperative.”
When the storm hits and the power goes out, Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue officials are reminding the public of safety guidelines the public should follow when taking out their grills and generators.
“When operating your generator, it’s very, very important to have it away from the structure,” Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Stephen Gollan said. “Way too often they start their generators up, and they’re located in the garage. Sometimes we see them inside of a house, and that is a recipe for disaster.”
Generators emit carbon monoxide, which is an odorless and colorless gas. Experts also warn that generators can easily catch fire.
“Make sure you got plenty of ventilation when you’re barbecuing,” Phillips said. “That is not good to breathe, and you don’t want to blow yourself up in the middle of a hurricane.”
Gas grills and generators are not allowed in high-rise buildings.
“Whether it’s driving down the road, it’s cooking, it’s a generator — it’s a time for a community to come together and help each other out and to make sure we’re being extra safe,” Gollan said.
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