Summer Safety Tips

These are just a few summer related tips:

• Barbecue Safety
• Bug Safety
• Car Safety
• Fireworks
• Heat-Related Illness
• Scooters, bikes and skateboard safety
• Sun Screen
• Water Safety

Also see our Spring Safety Tips for more tips while enjoying the warming weather.

Barbecue Safety

As of January 1, 2008, new codes prohibit the use and storage of open-flame LP-gas (greater than 1 pound) or the use of charcoal barbecues on combustible (eg. wood products) balconies unless there is a sprinkler overhead.

Fact Sheet: Grilling on Apartment Balconies Prohibited PDF (265 KB)

1. Before using a gas grill, check the connection between the propane tank and the fuel line. Make sure the venturi tubes - where the air and gas mix - are not blocked.
2. Locate your portable grill at least 10 feet from combustible walls, overhangs and fences.
3. Do not wear loose clothing while cooking at a barbecue.
4. Be careful wen using lighter fluid. Do not add fluid to an already lit fire because the flame can flashback up into the container and explode.
5. Keep all matches and lighters away from children. Teach your children to report any loose matches or lighters to an adult immediately. Supervise children around outdoor grills
6. Dispose of hot coals properly - douse them with plenty of water, and stir them to ensure that the fire is out. Never place them in plastic, paper or wooden containers.
7. Never grill/barbecue in enclosed areas - carbon monoxide could be produced.
8. Make sure everyone knows to STOP, DROP and ROLL in case a piece of clothing does catch fire. Call 9-1-1 if a burn warrants serious medical attention.

Bug Safety

1. Don't use scented soaps or pefumes.
2. Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.
3. Avoid dressing children in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.
4. To remove a visible stinger from skin, gently scrape it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.
5. Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.
6. Insect repellents containing DEET are most effective against ticks, which can transmit Lyme Disease, and mosquitoes, which can transmit West Nile Virus and other viruses.
7. The concentration of DEET in products may range from less than 10% to over 30%. The benefits of DEET reach a peak at a concentration of 30%, the maximum concentration currently recommended for infants and children. DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.
8. The concentration of DEET varies significantly from product to product, so read the label of any product you purchase.

Car Safety

The risk of a serious injury or death during hot weather is heightened for children left alone in vehicles. Hyperthermia (heat-stroke) is the leading cause of non-crash vehicle deaths for children under the age of 14. Each year, approximately 37 children die from hyperthermia.

Safety tips to prevent hyperthermia include:

• Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle. Babies and young children are not able to regulate their body temperatures well -- warming at a rate three to five times faster than an adult -- especially in a car, where the windows create a greenhouse effect. In just half an hour, a car's interior can get 35 degrees hotter.
• Do not let your children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach them that a vehicle is not a play area.
• Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are partially open or with the engine running and the air conditioning on.
• Make a habit of looking in the vehicle - front and back - before locking the door and walking away. When left unattended by an adult, thirty percent of children affected by hyperthermia gained entry into an unlocked vehicle, became trapped and were overcome by heat.
• If you are bringing your child to daycare and normally it's your spouse or partner who brings them, have your spouse or partner call you to make sure everything went according to plan.
• Ask your childcare provider to call you if your child does not show up for childcare. Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as:
• Writing yourself a note and putting the note where you will see it when you leave the vehicle;
• Placing your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat so that you will have to check the back seat when you leave the vehicle; or
• Keeping an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where the driver will notice it when he or she is leaving the vehicle.
• Always lock vehicle doors and trunks and keep keys out of children's reach. If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk.
• If you see a child alone in a hot vehicle, call 9-1-1. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Warning signs may include: red, hot, and moist or dry skin, no sweating, a strong rapid pulse or a slow weak pulse, nausea or acting strangely. Cool the child rapidly. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

Compiled from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe Kids USA and the article Tragedy in the backseat: Hot-car deaths.

Water Safety

1. NEVER SWIM ALONE. Always swim with a grown-up or if you are older, swim with a buddy (in an area supervised by a lifeguard).
2. Wear a PFD (personal flotation device) when you're on a boat, fishing, or doing water sports.
3. Learn and practice the water safety rules and listen to the lifeguard - lifeguards are there for your safety.
4. Stop, look and test before entering lakes and pools. There could be rocks, branches, shallow areas, or other hazards that your're not aware of.
5. Walk slowly into the water to check things out before jumping.
6. Remind grown-ups of the importance of four-sided fencing around the pool area with a self-locking gate and keeping a phone nearby in case of emergencies.

Scooters, bikes and skateboards

1. A helmet must be worn every time you ride a bike, scooter, skateboard or in-line skates. Remember to always fasten the safety strap.
2. Always ride in safe areas and never at night.
3. Learn the correct hand signals and use them when you turn or stop.
4. Come to a complete stop before entering driveways, paths or sidewalks, then look left, right and left again for bikes, cars or people walking your way.

For information on our Wheeled Sports Safety Program, click here: Wheeled Safety Program

Sun Screen

1. Infants - Avoiding sun exposure and dressing infants in long pants, long-sleeved shirts and brimmed hats that shade the neck are still the top recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to prevent sunburn. When adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of sunscreen with at least 16 SPF to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands. If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area.
2. Young Children - Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays.
3. Older Children/Adults -
   • The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses, and cotton clothing with tight weave.
   • Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
   • Use a sunscreen with SPF of 15 or greater.
   • Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.
   • Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.

Heat-Related Illness

1. Preventing Heat-Related Illness
2. Stages of Heat-Related Illness
3. General Care for Heat Emergencies

Preventing Heat-Related Illness

• Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors will reflect away some of the sun's energy. It is also a good idea to wear hats or to use an umbrella.
• Drink water. Carry water or juice with you and drink continuously even if you do not feel thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body.
• Eat small meals and eat more often. Avoid foods that are high in protein which increase metabolic heat.
• Avoid using salt tablets unless directed to do so by a physician.
• Slow down. Avoid strenuous activity. If you must do strenuous activity, do it during the coolest par part of the day, which is usually in the morning between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.
• Stay indoors when possible.
• Take regular breaks when engaged in physical activity on warm days. Take time out to find a cool place. If you recognize that you, or someone else, is showing the signs of a heat-related illness, stop activity and find a cool place. Remember, have fun, but stay cool.

Stages of Heat-Related Illness

Heat-related illness usually comes in stages. Signs of the first stage is heat cramps in muscles. These cramps can be very painful. If you are caring for a person who has heat cramps, have him or her stop activity and rest. If the person is fully awake and alert, have him or her drink small amounts of cool water or a commercial sports drink. Gently stretch the cramped muscle and hold the stretch for about 20 seconds, then gently massage the muscle. Repeat these steps if necessary. If the victim has no other signs of heat-related illness, the person may resume activity after the cramps stop.

Signs of the next, more serious stage of heat-related illness (often called heat exhaustion) include:

• Cool, moist, pale skin (the skin may be red right after physical activity)
• Headache
• Dizziness and weakness or exhaustion
• Nausea
• The skin may or may not feel hot

Signs of late stage of heat-related illness (often called heat stroke) include:

• Vomiting
• Decreased alertness level or complete loss of consciousness
• High body temperature
• Skin may still be moist or the victim may stop sweating and the skin may be red, hot and dry
• Rapid, weak pulse
• Rapid, shallow breathing

This late stage of a heat-related illness is life threatening. Call 9-1-1.

General Care for Heat Emergencies

1. Cool the Body
2. Give Fluids
3. Minimize Shock

For heat cramps or heat exhaustion: Get the person to a cooler place and have him or her rest in a comfortable position. If the person is fully awake and alert, give a half glass of cool water every 15 minutes. Do not let him or her drink too quickly. Do not give liquids with alcohol or caffeine in them, as they can make conditions worse. Remove or loosen tight clothing and apply cool, wet cloths such as towels or wet sheets. Call 9-1-1 if the person refuses water, vomits or loses consciousness.

For heat stroke: Heat stroke is a life-threatening situation! Help is needed fast. Call 9-1-1. Move the person to a cooler place. Quickly cool the body. Wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, wrap them ina cloth and place them on each of the victim's wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels (do not use rubbing alcohol because it closes the skin's pores and prevents heat loss). Watch for signs of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down.