Happy 4th of July! Just a quick reminder that our office will be closed on Tuesday, July 4th, as we join the nation in celebrating this special day. We hope you have a safe and enjoyable holiday filled with fun, family, and fireworks! We’ll resume business as usual on Wednesday, refreshed and ready to serve, share, and support.
We also want to take this opportunity to share some reminders on how to keep you and your family safe this 4th of July with tips from the American Red Cross, Food Safety News, ASPCA, and Trupanion.
Fireworks
Shooting off fireworks at home can be a lot of fun and enjoyed by all, especially when you keep safety top of mind. To keep you, your family, and friends safe around fireworks:
- Follow instructions on fireworks’ packaging.
- Never throw or point fireworks toward people, animals, vehicles, or structures.
- Keep water and a fire extinguisher nearby as a precaution.
- The one firing off the fireworks should wear eye protection.
- Never relight a “dud.”
Cookouts
Hot dogs, hamburgers, and grilling out are as much a part of 4th of July as fireworks. That said, it’s important to consider food safety when cooking out, especially as temperatures rise with the summer months. To keep everyone healthy:
- Don’t cross-contaminate by keeping raw meat and their juices from other foods, and avoid using the same utensils for cooking and ready-to-eat foods.
- Don’t leave food out in the hot sun. A good rule of thumb is that perishable food items should not be left outside for more than two hours, and just one hour is temperatures are at or above 90°F. This includes grilled food, cold salads, and even fresh fruit and vegetables, and applies to leftovers, too.
Splish Splash
If you’re lucky enough to be at the beach, a pool party, or out on a boat over the 4th of July, these tips can help you and your family and friends stay safe wherever you are:
- If a storm pops up, get out of the water at the first sign of lightning or rumble of thunder.
- Designate a “water watcher” to keep a close eye on everyone in and around the water. Rotate “water watchers” so it’s not on one person the entire time.
- Don’t dive headfirst, whether into a pool, at a beach, or off of a boat.
- If you find yourself caught in a rip current at the beach, don’t panic. Swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current and then swim to shore.
The 4th and Fido
While we’re safely enjoying the 4th of July festivities, it’s important to keep our pets safe and happy, too.
Rather than taking them along to 4th of July fireworks shows, it’s best to keep our pets at home in a quiet, sheltered, and escape-proof area. Leaving a TV or radio on, or turning on a fan, can help keep sound-sensitive pets calmer.
T-shirts, body wraps, pheromone diffusers, or calming collars can help relax your pet.
Never leave alcoholic drinks unattended where a pet can get to them; alcohol can poison our pets.
