Memorial Day weekend is a time for family and fun, and it marks the unofficial beginning of summer vacation. School is officially out, and the weather is warming up. Water parks and amusement parks open up for the season. Parents grill out while the children play outside.
However, there are safety risks that need to be taken into consideration at water parks, during grilling, and while lighting fireworks. Of course, there are hazards anywhere you go and in whatever you do, but common sense will help irradicate most of those hazards. Here’s a list of safety tips to keep in mind to enjoy Memorial Day weekend as risk-free as possible.
Safety First: Splash Pads and Water Parks
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The splash pads and water parks I know are usually made of concrete floors with plastic slides. When I go to the splash pad, I usually wear water shoes. These shoes are closed-toed and made out of mesh material. These are the best type of shoes to wear because they help grab onto slippery surfaces.
I know flip-flops are tempting to wear, but refrain. they actually don’t have a good way of keeping your foot in the shoe in case your foot were to slip. I wore flip-flops to the splash pad once and my foot slipped out of the shoe sideways and kind of warped the part that goes between my toes. It did not help me stop me from slipping it actually helped it to happen.
Help the spread of germs stop with you. Don’t go to the splash pad if you’re sick with diarrhea. Shower before getting into the water. Check children with diapers every hour. Excrement and germs can still get in the water even if the child has a swim diaper on. Also, don’t drink the water that you’re playing in.
Safety First: Grilling Out
One of the most popular American traditions is grilling out on holidays such as Memorial Day. Most often we have our personal grills next to the house. But how close to the house are we supposed to be with our grills? After all, they could accidentally catch the house on fire. As it turns out, ten feet away is the magic number to keep your grill away from the siding and the house.
Bottom line: make sure that there is plenty of room between your house, siding, and shrubs so nothing can catch on fire. In one of the sources I read the minimum distance was three feet away from the house, siding, deck railing, and awnings; but to ensure safety protocols are intact, ten feet is the recommended distance. And, absolutely do not use lighter fluid after it’s been lit.
Another safety precaution not often talked about is to cook meat to the proper temperature. Unless your package doesn’t tell you how long to cook the meat and to what temperature the meat should be to be considered properly cooked, Google is your friend. Decide what you’re going to cook a few days in advance, and look up how to do it before the big day.
Safety First: Fireworks
Fireworks displays only happen a handful of times per year, so when they happen, they are a big deal! They are beautiful and colorful displays of patterns in the sky, but you are literally playing with fire. After all, it’s in the first part of the name! So, always be cautious when playing around with firecrackers.
One time on New Year’s Eve a couple of years back, my husband decided to light a Roman candle upside down into an ant hill just to see what would happen. What ensued was not funny at the time, but since no one got hurt, we can now laugh about it. But, seriously, this is a great example to keep in mind of what NOT to do!
Don’t let young children light or play with fireworks. When lighting your fireworks, choose a wide-open spot that is far enough away from houses, cars, trees, etc. so they won’t catch on fire. Choose a surface that is flat and made of sand, dirt, concrete, or stone. The backyard is usually not the safest choice.
Safety First: Drinking and Driving
I’m sure most people understand what drinking and driving is all about. But I’m going to go over it again because it cannot be stressed enough. Have a designated driver. Around 32% of all traffic-related deaths involved drunk drivers. Between the periods of 2013-2022, around 11,000 people died each year from drunk driving.
Every 39 minutes, a person dies from drunk driving every day. That’s about 37 people per day. The saddest part is that all of these deaths were preventable. Unfortunately, these numbers are on the rise nationwide. According to statistics, 13,384 people died in drunk driving accidents in 2021, which was a 14% increase from 2020.
When you decide to drink and drive, you not only put yourself at risk, but you put others at risk, too. Most people may think they can get home after they’ve gone over their limit, but it’s not worth the risk. That is someone’s daughter/son. Let’s have a safe Memorial Day weekend!
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