Five Safety Tips for Memorial Day Weekend

Here are a few ways to make sure everyone has a happy and SAFE Memorial Day weekend . . .

1. Driving. Triple-A expects a record 38.4 million people on the road this year. So buckle up, make sure you’re well-rested, don’t speed, and never drink-and-drive. Some idiots WILL drink-and-drive, so give the road your full attention.

2. Grilling. Never leave a hot grill unsupervised. Make sure it’s far enough away from buildings, trees, and anything else that could catch fire. Keep kids and pets away from it. And never spray lighter fluid on coals that are already hot.

3. Food safety. Don’t leave food out of the refrigerator for more than two hours. When the temperature is up over 90, that drops to one hour. Any longer than that and you risk food poisoning.

4. Water safety. Pay close attention to kids when you’re around water, never swim alone, and always wear life jackets if you’re out on a boat. This week is National Safe Boating Week specifically because it’s right before Memorial Day.

5. Sun safety. Today is Don’t Fry Day, spelled F-R-Y. The National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention came up with it in 2009 to encourage us to be careful in the sun on Memorial Day, and all summer.

Their four tips are “Slip, Slop, Slap, and Wrap”. (???) Slip on a long-sleeved shirt to protect your arms . . . slop on plenty of sunscreen that’s SPF 15 or higher . . . slap on a hat to protect your face and neck . . . and wrap on a pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes from sun damage.

(American Red Cross / USDA / EPA)
Photo by Chad Madden on Unsplash