Valentine’s Day is a special day for sweethearts and families to celebrate love each year. People flock to their local grocery and party stores to buy candy and balloons for the people they care about. However, the popular metallic balloons, Mylar balloons, could have costly and dangerous side effects.
Mylar balloons have a metallic coating that conducts electricity. The Safe Electricity program urges consumers to understand the proper safety steps that must be taken:
- Always keep the balloons weighted so they do not accidently fly away.
- Never release a Mylar balloon.
- Do not tie Mylar balloons to children with metallic ribbon. If the Mylar balloon comes in contact with electricity the child could receive a fatal shock.
- If a balloon does get in a power line, do not attempt to retrieve it yourself. Contact your power company and emergency services.
The Safe Electricity program wants everyone to enjoy their Valentine’s Day with their special someone. However, when the celebration is over please remember to puncture the balloons and throw them away to keep them safely away from power lines and electrical equipment.
To learn more about the risks posed by Mylar balloons and other electrical safety hazards, visit SafeElectricity.org.
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