With summer finally here the number of kids out and about enjoying their break from school will greatly increase. Please do your part to make sure these kids make it back to school in the fall.

IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

It's been said that it takes the whole community to raise a child. This was certainly true in days past but we still need to watch out for our neighbors' kids as well as our own whenever possible, especially when the warm weather hits and they seem to be everywhere! The following should help:

• Join a neighborhood watch - this should exist for helping out whenever possible as well as preventing crimes. If you see a small child riding his/her bike in the street with no helmet, gently instruct them of a better way, especially if no other adults are around.
• Please slow down in residential areas, around swimming pools and playgrounds. Remember, Pennsylvania law states that pedestrians have the right of way when inside a crosswalk. Also, we've all seen kids run into the street to chase one thing or another, please drive carefully.

AT THE POOL

We've all read the horrible stories about what can and usually does happen at swimming pools every year. Please follow these tips to ensure your child is safe in/around water:

• The most important thing you can do is teach your child how to swim.
• Instruct them to follow all posted rules.
• Teach them to never dive into shallow water.
• Children under 5 have the highest risk of drowning - use floatation devices at all times and never be further than an arm's length away from them.
• Always rinse off before and after swimming.

AT THE BEACH

What kid doesn't love the sand, sun and water at the beach? That along with amusement parks, go-carts and numerous other activities makes the beach a great vacation. Follow these tips to ensure the trip is pain-free:

• Sun block - use an appropriate SPF for your children. The sun can be particularly damaging at the shore so please take precautions.
• Always make sure you know where rip tides may be occurring. Ask the life guard on duty and follow their directions as how to avoid being caught in one.
• In case of emergencies, ensure you know where the nearest aid station is when you're on the beach.
• Pay the couple dollars and rent an umbrella for the time you'll be at the beach. We all go to the shore for the sun but there are times when it's necessary to have some shade around.
• Limit time in the sun during the 'burning hours', between 10 and 3 the sun can be particularly damaging.

IN GENERAL

While summer is all about having fun for kids, please keep the following information by Safe Kids USA in mind and read more by clicking the following link: http://www.usa.safekids.org/water/beach.html

'While you and your kids enjoy the seemingly carefree elements of summer, emergency room doctors know it as "trauma season." This summer children ages 14 and under will be rushed to emergency rooms nearly 3 million times for serious injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes, drowning, bike crashes, pedestrian incidents, falls and other hazards. Sadly, more than 2,500 of these children will die.

Tragedies peak during the summer months (May to August) because children are supervised less, have more free time and engage in more outdoor activities.'

Please contact the CCAP Loss Control team should you have any questions regarding Health & Safety issues.

The PELICAN members, called subscribers, met to receive an operation and finance update, to elect members of the subscribers' advisory committee (SAC) which is the board responsible for the operation of PELICAN, and to present annual awards.

There were three positions up for election on the PELICAN SAC, and the three incumbent members were reelected to three year terms:

          Joe Giles, Council Member, Erie County

          Marvin Granda, Administrator, Gracedale Nursing Home

          Molly Hess, Administrator, Philadelphia Nursing Home

Nancy Dragan, administrator of the Armstrong County Health Center, was presented with the PELICAN Claims Award for her outstanding assistance to PELICAN staff.

Brian Balliet, risk manager for Gracedale Nursing Home (Northampton County), received the PELICAN Loss Control Award for his active role in loss control and prevention at the facility.

Congratulations to those elected to the SAC, and to the award winners! For more information on PELICAN, contact Christie Ward at CCAP, (800) 895-9039.

County officials wanting to help their employees recognize the need to prepare financially for retirement can look to the National Association of Counties (NACo) for quality retirement planning products and services.

The NACo Deferred Compensation Program is a supplemental retirement plan governed under Section 457(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. Since its inception in 1980, the NACo Program has grown to become the largest supplemental retirement income program available to county employees. As of June 30, 2008, more than 360,000 county employees from over 1,900 counties currently participate in the Program, with accumulated assets of more than $8.0 billion.

NACo contracts with Nationwide Retirement Solutions to provide and administer its deferred compensation program. Under a relationship that's nearly three decades strong, Nationwide delivers to counties the tools and resources for dealing with regulatory and fiduciary issues, selecting and monitoring investment options, educating employees about participation and easing the administrative burden of plan sponsorship. The NACo program is:

• Technology-enabled, so your employees have easier access to their account and to the tools and resources they need to manage it effectively.
• People-focused, giving your employees ongoing access to knowledgeable retirement specialists to help them prepare and manage their plans for retirement.
• Success-driven, geared to be the best value for your county and its employees.

For more information email Julia Jackson, Employee Benefit Programs Manager, or call (800) 895-9039.