Frozen Water BalloonsThe latest public safety issue seems to be the dangers of frozen water balloons. Here is a recent blog post.
More information available here.
Watch out for these little bombs when you’re walking around outside this summer, and keep an eye on your kids and pets.
Frozen water balloons are the latest public safety issue. Earlier this month, Evanston police warned people of the dangers of frozen water balloons after a teenager was injured, according to the Chicago Tribune.
“When they freeze they become like a rock,” Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan told the Tribune. “As hard as you can throw it, that’s how hard it’s going to hit someone.”‘
The Tribune reports that the teen’s injuries “were not life-threatening.” But police told local TV station WGN9 that someone could be killed if hit by one of the frozen projectiles.
“Being hit with these ice balls could break windows, cause serious injury or even death,” reads an Evanston Police Department blog post. “Parents are encouraged to talk to their kids and make sure they understand the dangers associated with throwing these at people, property and cars.”
Dugan told the Tribune that police have responded to calls about frozen water balloons in recent years but nothing like this incident.’
I’m not sure when frozen water balloons became the latest public safety issue, but for some reason I keep hearing about them. The first time was last year on this blog where I learned that apparently a lot of people are being injured by frozen water balloons. Then, just last week, I heard more about this on NPR and there was an article in our local paper on the issue as well.
The article in our local paper involves a young girl who had never seen a frozen water balloon before and thought it was something fun to throw around during their family’s Independence Day celebration in our area. She threw it as hard as she could at her brother – who happened to be holding his face in his hands at the time. He ended up needing stitches in his eye to fix a laceration in his eyelid.
The article also notes that there have been several other serious injuries from frozen water balloons recently: broken teeth, broken facial bones, lost vision, etc….
For many years, the danger of water balloons has been a public safety issue. Under proper supervision and with proper precautions, water balloons can be a safe and fun activity for children. Unfortunately, some children will attempt to consume them, or throw them at each other without protective eyewear.
To help prevent these tragedies, we have recently developed a new product: the frozen water balloon. This is a common household ice cube tray filled with water that is then frozen into an ice ball. There are several advantages of the frozen water balloon over the traditional water balloon:
First, it’s much less likely to rupture when thrown at someone. A normal water balloon will burst on impact, but a frozen water balloon will simply bounce off. In fact, you can use them in place of paintballs or airsoft pellets in games where you shoot people with guns! For example:
Second, they’re much less likely to burst if thrown incorrectly (such as at your friend’s head). The freezing process makes them much more durable than traditional water balloons.
How do you feel about frozen water balloons? Are they fun and safe, or a dangerous menace to society?
In the summer of 2015, the internet was flooded with videos showing how to make frozen water balloons. The viral trend was all fun and games until an Ohio man threw one at a woman’s car, shattering her window and causing her to swerve off the road.
The incident led him to be charged with a felony: deliberately damaging property. Now, not only is he facing up to three years in prison, but he could also be expelled from college where he is scheduled to begin his freshmen year.
As the weather starts to warm up, more people are taking to the outdoors and it is important to keep safety in mind. This includes being aware of the dangers of frozen water balloons.
When water balloons are frozen, they become a hard, solid mass which can be used as projectile weapons or slipped underfoot with potentially dangerous consequences.
These can be anything from simple bumps and bruises on one end of the spectrum to serious injuries such as concussions or broken bones on the other end of the spectrum.
The best way to prevent these sorts of injuries is to avoid using frozen water balloons all together. As with many things in life, if you have a choice between something that could cause serious injury and something that won’t, it is often best to choose to limit your risks and keep yourself safe.
However, should you find yourself in need of a projectile weapon or requiring a distraction technique during an emergency situation, you can use any number of common household items instead of a frozen water balloon. For example:
Straws
Water bottles
Ice cubes (especially if they have been rubbed on surfaces prior to use)
Eggs
But, I have to say it: These water balloons are dangerous. I know they’re easy and convenient, but they’re a danger to public safety nonetheless.
Here’s the thing – if you’re in NYC and you see someone with a water balloon on the street, it’s probably not a water balloon at all. It’s most likely a frozen bottle of water. The frozen bottles of water have very little give when squeezed, meaning that if you hit someone with one, there is a good chance it could break their skin and/or cause serious bruising.
There’s also a good chance that if you throw one at someone from close distance, it will break their glasses or some other personal property and/or cause serious injury to their eyes.
So, please be careful out there (and for those throwing the “water balloons”, just know that 99% of people can see right through your ruse). This is New York City after all and we don’t need any more lawsuits than we already have floating around out there.