Play It Safe: Summer Outdoor Safety Tips

If you’re like most, you have been anxiously awaiting this summer’s arrival.  Good news, it’s finally here. Before heading outdoors and enjoying your favorite summertime activities, make sure that you consider safety first. Follow the tips below to help ensure that you and your family have a safe and healthy summer.

• Protect Your Skin – Seek shade during the midday hours (10am – 4pm) when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Wear sunscreen with broad spectrum (UVA and UVB) protection and sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Reapply frequently especially while swimming or sweating. Cover up with clothing, wear a brimmed hat, and wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays.
• Swim Safely – Always supervise young children around water. Avoid consuming alcohol while swimming, boating, waterskiing or supervising children near bodies of water. Swim at beaches with a lifeguard present. Always swim with a buddy. Wear lifejackets when swimming and participating in recreational activities. Encourage children to learn how to swim; sign them up for swimming classes. Learn CPR so that you can respond in an emergency situation. Monitor weather forecast so you are not swimming or boating in dangerous conditions. Prevent the spread of waterborne illness by taking the following actions: not swimming if you have diarrhea, washing your hands after changing a diaper or using a toilet, taking a shower before and after swimming and not swallowing water while swimming.
• Prevent Bug Bites– Use insect/tick repellent when outdoors. Wear permethrin-treated clothing when appropriate. Check your clothing and body daily for ticks. If a tick is found, be sure to remove it carefully with a tweezers. The ticks that spread Lyme disease are more active in May, June and July; however tick checks should be done regularly during the warmer months to prevent other tick-borne diseases. Eliminate brush piles, leaf litter, wood piles and tall grass as ticks prefer these types of environments. Also remove items from your yard that collect standing water, such as buckets, tires or toys as these provide the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos.
• Beat the Heat – Stay hydrated. Avoid drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages that cause you to lose fluid. Wear clothing that is light colored, light weight and lose fitting. Stay in air-conditioned buildings as much as possible and avoid direct sunlight during extreme heat. Monitor the weather so that you can prepare for extreme heat. If possible schedule outdoor work and projects during the early morning or later in the afternoon to avoid midday heat.
• Be Food Safe – Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. When grilling use a meat thermometer to ensure that meat and poultry is fully cooked. Avoid cross- contamination by placing cooked meat on a clean platter, rather than on the same platter that held the raw meat. Store perishable foods in a cooler filled with ice or freezer packs. A full cooler maintains the temperature longer than a cooler that is only half full. Refrigerate leftover foods promptly to prevent bacteria growth. Always wash hands before and after handling foods. Sanitize surfaces that come in contact with food.

For more information contact the FCP Community Health Department at 715-478-4355 or visit www.cdc.gov.