Who's had the FD called while smoking?

Flatlander · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject: Who's had the FD called while smoking?

I just did my first Brisket last night. I have been grilling on an enclosed porch for 18 yrs. I've had this Traeger smoker for about two monthes. Maybe used it 25 times without incident. Yesterday we get someone pounding the door yelling "is anyone in the house", then two minutes later 2 fire trucks and the Police show up. Seems these guys were driving by saw smoke and called the FD. Now the firemen want me to feed them! Then 2 hours later someone else pounded on the door telling us the house was on fire. The only thing I could think of doing short of putting the smoker out in the yard was this........

It's just to convienent to cook on the porch, to move it. Is there anything like "Smoke Management" ?

DaHorns · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

I have to admit I have never experienced that before, but Im sure its just a matter of time. Did you feed those hungry firemen?
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Flatlander · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

I was only half way through the process when they showed up. Maybe next time......they said there would be one!

DaHorns · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

Good stuff, great story!!!
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Jeff T · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

Haven`t been called on yet, but what i do is too take food to the neighbors so they don`t get pissed about the "smell" or smoke. Good idea about the note in the window maybe you could word it a little better like....
Dads cookin`
Smoking meat today come back later
Dont be chokin` i`m just smokin`
Very Happy

Reggae Q · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

My first smoker was a brinkman gourmet. Someone was supposed to bring a grill to work for thanksgiving. It was raining so he didn't bring it. I went to lowes and bought it. Didn't know what I was doing at all. Bought it at 7 and fired it up at about 8:30. A girl opened the door and flames came out and got her eyebrows/eyelashes.

Then. That sucker was smoking hot!

About 11ish, the people upstairs said they called the fire dept. as they didn't know what was going on. We called to let them know what was going on.

stetch · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

to be fair, it probably looks odd seeing smoke roll out of your screens. Doesn't that porch get really smokey?

Fish · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

In my area it's all Asians and they all freek out when I start smoking. The FD has come to my house 2 times in the last 6 months (5 times total over 2 years). Back in June, I did 4 racks for them and dropped it off. I think the FD know me very well by now.
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Sa-Mokin · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

Well, I have to admit that I have had them called on me before.

It was a new smoker and I put a big ol log of hickory on a hot bed of charcoal and it was smoking... REAL heavly. Lived next to an expressway and first thing you know the sirens got closer and closer until I see a firetruck over the fence. The firemen were very nice and chuckled about it at the time, then a week later I received a $300 bill in the mail for a "false alarm fire call" from the city. After I talked to about six people at city hall about it, they finally decided to let it drop since I did not place the call in the first place. Chit DOES happen! Laughing

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OddThomas · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

I know it probably goes without saying, but I'm going to say it anyway. I'd get that smoker out of there before something unfortunate really does happen. One good grease fire is all you need...

Sa-Mokin · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

Harry Nutczak · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

I had them appear twice, And both times were from a little weber smokey joe grill.

an enclosed porch, on a table with a full-size sheetpan underneath for safety.

But both days were that pissy rainy drizzle schitt with absolutely no wind, so the smoke was hovering heavily.

Do these idiots not have noses?? how hard is it to tell BBQ from a house fire by smell?
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Flatlander · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

The porch is open one 3 sides so the smoke blows through pretty good. The firemen came in and inspected what I was doing and had no safety issues. I'm useing a Traeger smoker and I clean it after every long use. I like to grill all year round and the porch is right off the living room. Out of the weather and only a few feet from the TV. Really perfect. I just have to keep people from calling the FD on me. It's also the farthest point from my neighbors. I love this thing and can't give it up!

BBQMAN · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

I can't imagine your porch doesn't take on a nice yellow ochre color after a while! Shocked

You may want to build a Q Bana just outside of your porch, that's for sure. I agree with Oddthomas on this one. Cooking in an enclosed porch that is attached to your house is a recipe for bad things to happen.

I'm sure that ceiling fan (if it works with those warped blades) helps out some. They make outdoor fans with plastic blades that work out real well.

I have seen the fire dept. travel down the alley in back of my house. They never did stop. I guess after seeing the chimmney poking over the fence they figured it out. Very Happy

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SPOKANE SMOKER · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

I was smoking in the garage one day because of the high winds and rain outside. I cracked my big overhead door a little and then opened the back door a little to create a draft. I didn't think anything of it till my little boy said "daddy why is everyone parked in front of our house?" I looked outside the window and there was a policeman stopped in the middle of the street looking at our garage and stopping traffic. I went out and opened the garage door till he could see the smoker cooking away. He smiled and went on his merry way. I kept the garage door open after that so it was visually obvious what was going on! Embarassed

Kevin
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BBQMAN · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

SmokinMN · BBQ Fan Joined: 19 Jul 2007 Posts: 109

I guess since you have done it for 18 years you know what your doing, but that just seems to be a a little too scary for me.

If something -heaven forbid- did go wrong, do you think you insurance would still cover your losses? That would seem like a really tough to sell that you were BBQ'n inside your house.
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BBQMAN · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

Not neccesarily (on the know what your doing part) SmokinMN, just lucky! Wink

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SoEzzy · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject:

BBQMAN · Posted: Sep 17 2007 Post subject: