At first sight on holidays, such as Valentine’s Day, many metallic balloons can be seen, apparently harmless and adorable due to the connotation that involves the intention of giving it to a loved one and a large number of this kind of balloons are distributed in stores.
What you don’t know is that these metallic balloons involve a danger in countries and cities, where they are used normally, trains or subways, when they are left loose near their tracks.
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Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a public service company based in California, assured last year that on Valentine’s Day there are many power outages, property damage and even injuries caused by metallic balloons, as reported by Clarín.
The main problem these balloons cause is that when they are thrown into the sky – or they escape from someone’s hands – they can hit power lines and cause widespread blackouts.
In 2021, for example, drifting metal balloons caused more than 600 cuts in the United States.
In turn, the Imperial Irrigation District, a public electricity utility in Imperial, California, reported at the time that the metal coating on these balloons “can conduct electricity, causing large-scale power outages, melting of power lines, fire, and property damage if contact is made with energized electrical equipment.”
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Recommendation for the use or manipulation of metallic balloons on Valentine’s Day
To avoid problems, the company developed a series of recommendations:
- Never release a metallic balloon outdoors
- Keep metallic balloons away from power lines
- Use balloon weights or tie them securely
- Never use metallic ribbons with metallic balloons.
- Always deflate foil balloons and dispose of properly when no longer in use.
This problem is not only in the United States. In Mexico, Spain and other cities around the world, measures against Valentine’s balloons were also implemented.
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“If you see a metallic balloon that has come into contact with a power line, keep yourself and all other items and people at least 20 feet away and report it. Always assume that power lines are energized,” the message warns. (YO)
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Source: Eluniverso
Mario Twitchell is an accomplished author and journalist, known for his insightful and thought-provoking writing on a wide range of topics including general and opinion. He currently works as a writer at 247 news agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
