Independence Day Safety

This Independence Day ensure a fun holiday for you and your family by following these helpful safety tips.

Food Safety

• Picnics and barbeques top the list of summer activities, but it is important to take special precautions when preparing and serving food during warm weather.
• Wash your hands before and after preparing food, especially if you come in contact with raw meat, poultry and eggs.
• Thoroughly wash fruits and veggies before serving them.
• Cook food thoroughly.  Use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of meats since color is not a good indicator that the meat is cooked.
• Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold.  Hot food should be kept at 140F or above and cold food should be kept at 40F or below.
• Stay hydrated!  Do not wait until you are thirsty to drink, instead make an effort to drink six to eight glasses of cold fluids throughout the day.

Swimming Safety

If you plan on swimming during the holiday be sure to enter the water, whether at the beach or the pool, with a buddy, unless a lifeguard is on duty.  Sadly, most drowning deaths occur within a few feet of safety.

At the beach be sure to:

• Look for water that is relatively clear and free from odor and debris.
• Swim in moving water.  Still or stagnate water provides an excellent breeding ground for bacteria.
• Not to swim in the ocean after a heavy rain as runoff water may harbor increased amounts of bacteria.
• Exercise caution when diving or jumping in the water as beach water is not as clear as pool water and may hide dangers lurking below.

At the swimming pool, take the following precautions:

• If no life guard is on duty be sure to have a responsible adult in the pool at all times while children are swimming.  This adult should also be versed in lifesaving techniques such as first aid and CPR.
• Check the pool area for lifesaving devices such as a shepherd’s hook or floating ring.
• Reduce the risk of ear, nose, throat or eye infections by swimming in pools in which good water quality is maintained.  Be sure the water is clear, doesn’t smell foul or too strongly of chlorine or ammonia, and is continually circulated.

Vector Borne Illnesses

To protect your family be sure to use a good bug repellent and follow these tips to stay safe:

• Stay inside when mosquitoes are most active.
• If you are in areas where ticks are suspected be sure to do a visual check for ticks before heading indoors.
• Keep your home in good repair.  Make sure window and door screens fit well and keep your grass mowed to avoid coming into contact with mosquitoes or ticks.

Stay safe and have fun on this 4^th of July holiday and throughout the summer.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gracewong/183286968/

July 4th, 2009 by Aspen Streetman | Posted in Independence Day | (49)