Allstate Insurance Company Offers Grilling Safety Tips to Keep Your Family Safe This...

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Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:00am EDT

Allstate Insurance Company Offers Grilling Safety Tips to Keep Your Family
Safe This Fourth of July and Throughout the Summer

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- With the Fourth of July
holiday approaching, many families will gather around barbecue grills to
celebrate. Unfortunately, that celebration can be quickly tempered by a misuse
of a grill. Allstate Insurance Company is offering consumers tips to keep your
family safe this summer.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081001/AQW523LOGO )

Every year, careless use of barbecue grills is the cause of hundreds of fires.
The resulting property damage can be widespread and expensive. Careless
grilling costs millions of dollars and, tragically, also can cost people their
lives.

Understanding the causes of common grilling accidents and taking the
appropriate safety precautions can help people avoid dangerous situations
during the outdoor cooking season.

The following tips can help everyone enjoy their barbeque grills safely:

ALWAYS
    --  Be sure your grill is sturdy and stable, especially if it stands on
        legs. Take special care on a combustible surface.
    --  Place your grill so that sparks and smoke won't fly toward
        buildings, furniture or people.
    --  Prevent burns and protect your clothing with a heavy apron and
        potholder-type gloves.
    --  Use only enough charcoal to last for the time it is needed.
    --  Properly attach your ash catcher when using a kettle grill.
    --  Douse the coals thoroughly with water after grilling.
    --  Transport, store and use propane gas cylinders in an upright position
        only.



DON'T
    --  Barbeque in a confined space. If possible, don't grill on balconies
        and decks of apartments and condominiums.
    --  Use gasoline, kerosene, alcohol or a cigarette lighter to start the
        fire.
    --  Add more starter fluid to an existing fire.
    --  Leave a grill unattended once the coals are lit.
    --  Move outdoor barbeques indoors. Smoldering charcoal can build up
lethal
        concentrations of carbon monoxide.
    --  Discard used briquettes in a cardboard carton or any other combustible
        container.



The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation's largest publicly held
personal lines insurer. Widely known through the "You're In Good Hands With
Allstate(R)" slogan, Allstate is reinventing protection and retirement to help
individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have
today and better prepare for tomorrow. Customers can access Allstate products
and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through
approximately 14,700 exclusive Allstate agencies and financial representatives
in the U.S. and Canada, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800
Allstate(R). Encompass(R) Insurance brand property and casualty products are
sold exclusively through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group
provides life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity,
banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and
worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent
agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers. Customers can also access
information about Allstate Financial Group products and services at
myallstatefinancial.com.


SOURCE  Allstate Insurance Company

Jeff Ormond, +1-248-994-9393, jormo@allstate.com
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