Summer Safety Tips

Basic Water Safety Tips

*Swim in designated areas supervised by lifeguards.

*Always swim with a buddy, even at public pools or lifeguard beaches.

*Ensure that everyone in the family learns to swim well. Enroll in age-appropriate learn-to-swim courses.

*Never leave a young child unattended near water and never trust a child's life to another child.

*Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets around water.

*Do not let anyone play around drains and suction fittings, and forbid swimmers from have breath-holding contests.

*Avoid alcohol use, as it impairs judgment, balance and coordination; affects swimming and diving skills; and reduces the body's ability to stay warm.

Pools and Hot Tubs

*Install barriers around your home pool or hot tub. Safety covers and pool alarms should be added as additional layers of protection.

*Ensure that pool barriers enclose the entire pool area, are at least four feet high with gates self-closing, self-latching and open outward gates.

*For above-ground or inflatable pools, remove access ladders and secure the safety cover whenever the pool is not in use.

*Remove any structures that provide access to the pool, such as outdoor furniture, climbable trees, decorative walls and playground equipment.

*Keep toys that are not in use away from the pool and out of sight.

Sunburn

*Limit sun exposure, wear protective clothing, and use sunscreen. Sunscreen should be applied 30 minutes before going outdoors and reapplied at least every two hours. Use water-resistant sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher.

Bites From Mosquitoes and Ticks  

*There are no vaccines on the market for West Nile virus or Lyme disease. If you're spending time in tall grass or woody areas, use insect repellent with DEET to ward off mosquitoes and ticks. But insect repellent should not be used on babies, and repellent used on children should contain no more than 10 percent DEET.

*Check yourself and your children for ticks before bedtime. If you find a tick, remove it with tweezers, drop it in a plastic bag and throw it away. The CDC recommends cleansing the area of the tick bite with antiseptic. Early removal is important because a tick generally has to be on the skin for 36 hours or more to transmit Lyme disease. OTC antihistamines, such as Benadryl or Claritin, can bring itch relief. Topical anti-itch cream on the affected area also may help.

Bee Stings

* To keep bees away, wear light-colored clothing and avoid scented soaps and perfumes. Don't leave food, drinks, and garbage out uncovered. Treat a bee sting by scraping the stinger away in a side-to-side motion with a credit card or fingernail, and then washing the area with soap and water. Pulling the stinger or using tweezers may push more venom into the skin. For any bug bite or sting, ice or a cold compress and OTC pain-relieving creams or oral medications can help.

Heat Illness

* Air conditioning is the No. 1 protective factor against heat illness. If you don't have air conditioning, spend time in public facilities, such as libraries and malls that have air conditioning. Reduce strenuous activities or do them during early mornings and evenings when it's cooler. If you're outside for long stretches of time, carry a water bottle, drink fluids regularly, and don't push your limits. People who play sports should wear light, loose-fitting clothes and drink water or sports drinks before, during, and after activity. If you see someone experiencing heat illness, have the person lie down in a cool place and elevate the legs. Use water, wet towels, and fanning to help cool the person down until emergency help comes.

Burns From Fireworks and Grills

* Stick with public firework displays handled by professionals. Children should always be closely supervised when food is being cooked indoors or outdoors. Be aware that gas leaks, blocked tubes, and overfilled propane tanks cause most gas grill fires and explosions. "Teach children to cover their faces, stop, drop, and roll if their clothes catch fire."

Foodborne Illness

* It seems so basic, but not everyone does it. Wash hands well and often with soap and water, especially after using the bathroom and before cooking or eating. Also wash surfaces when cooking, keep raw food separate from cooked food, marinate food in the refrigerator, cook food thoroughly, and refrigerate or freeze food promptly. The FDA suggests never leaving food out for more than one hour when the temperature is above 90 F. Any other time, don't leave food out for more than two hours. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold and wash off fruits and vegetables with cool running water.  Also, scrub fruits with rough surfaces like cantaloupe with a soft brush.

Poison Ivy, Poison Oak, and Poison Sumac

* To avoid an outbreak learn by knowing what poison ivy looks like and avoid it. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, while "leaves of three, beware of me," is the old saying, "leaflets of three, beware of me" is even better because each leaf has three smaller leaflets. If there is the slightest chance that you might come into contact with poison ivy, or you know you will be working around poison ivy, wear long pants, long sleeves, boots, and gloves. If you do come into contact with poison ivy you may benefit from a product called Ivy Block, It's the only FDA-approved product for preventing or reducing the severity of rashes from poison ivy, oak, or sumac. The OTC lotion contains bentoquatam, a substance that forms a clay-like coating on the skin.

Poisoning in Children

* Dangerous substances, including medication, should be kept out of reach of children. In addition, substances should be kept in their original containers to avoid confusion or mistakes. Children who have ingested poisonous substances may experience difficulty breathing, throat pain, or burns to the lips and mouth. If you suspect that a child has ingested a poison, call the poison center immediately to relay the type of poison ingested and get advice on what to do. If you dial the nationwide poison help line (800) 222-1222 you'll be connected to your regional poison center. Convulsions, loss of breathing, or loss of consciousness require calling 911 immediately. Take the poison with you to the emergency room, whether it's a part of a plant or the chemical's container.