(The following information was provided by the American
Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania.)
As we all head
outside to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather this summer, the American Red
Cross Southeastern Pennsylvania Region has steps you can follow to help stay
safe.
“Here in the
Delaware Valley many of us enjoy spending time outdoors with loved ones as we
head down the shore, up to the Poconos or simply hang out at home,” said Guy
Triano, CEO for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “The Red
Cross wants you to avoid any danger no matter what your plans include and offers
steps you can follow to have a safe summer.”
Visit redcross.org/summersafety
for more information.
Water Safety
Drowning can happen quickly and silently. Unless rescued, it
could take as little as 20 to 60 seconds for a drowning person to submerge.
- Learn to be safe, make good choices, learn to swim and know how
to handle emergencies.
- Provide constant, active adult supervision and know how to
swim.
- Swim in an area with lifeguards. Designate a “water watcher”
to keep a close eye and constant attention on everyone in and around the water
until the next water watcher takes over.
- Wear your life jacket.
- Reach or throw, don't go! In the event of an emergency,
reach or throw an object to the person in trouble. Don’t go in! You could
become a victim yourself.
- Swimming classes are available for both children and adults.
Visit redcross.org/watersafety
for a map of Learn-to-Swim providers in your community.
- Download the Red Cross Swim app for safety tips,
kid-friendly videos and activities, and take the free Water Safety for Parents
and Caregivers online course in English or Spanish.
Picnic and Grilling Safety
Summer is a great
time to get outside for a picnic or to fire up the grill. Follow these tips to prevent
illness and keep everyone safe:
- Wash your hands, utensils,
and workstation before preparing the food.
- Separate uncooked
meats, poultry, and seafood from ready-to-eat foods like salads, fruits,
vegetables, cheeses and desserts. Use separate plates and utensils to prevent
cross-contamination.
- Bring hand sanitizer
if your picnic site doesn’t have hand-washing facilities.
- If you are going to
cook on the grill, bring a food thermometer to be sure grilled foods are cooked
enough.
- Always supervise a
barbecue grill when in use.
- Don’t add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already
been ignited.
- Never grill indoors.
- Make sure everyone, including pets, stays away from the
grill.
- Keep the grill out in the open, away from the house, deck,
tree branches or anything that could catch fire.
- Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on
the grill to help keep the chef safe.
- Wash your hands
before preparing the food.
- Don’t leave food
out in the hot sun. Keep perishable foods in a cooler with plenty of ice or
freezer gel packs.
Outdoor Safety
Whether camping or
just enjoying the outdoors, follow these tips:
- If a camping trip is in your plans, know the level of
ability of the people in your group and the environment around you. Plan
accordingly.
- Pack a first aid kit.
- Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR course and download the
First Aid app.
- Watch for sprains, falls and dehydration.
- Share your travel plans and locations with a family member, neighbor,
or friend.
- Bring nutritious food items and water, light-weight clothing
to layer and supplies for any pets.
- There is a greater chance of getting bitten by mosquitoes
and ticks outdoors Use insect repellents containing DEET (N,
N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) when you are outdoors. Be sure to follow the
directions on the package.
- Consider staying
indoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
- Wear long-sleeved
shirts and long pants and tuck your pant legs into your socks or boots.
- Use a rubber band or
tape to hold pants against socks so that nothing can get under clothing.
- Tuck your shirt into
your pants. Wear light-colored clothing to make it easier to see tiny insects
or ticks.
- When hiking in woods
and fields, stay in the middle of trails. Avoid underbrush and tall grass.
- If you are outdoors
for a long time, check yourself several times during the day. Especially check
in hairy areas of the body like the back of the neck and the scalp line.
- Inspect yourself
carefully for insects or ticks after being outdoors or have someone else do it.
- If you have pets
that go outdoors, spray with repellent made for their breed/type. Apply the
repellent according to the label and check your pet for ticks often.
- Get rid of mosquito
breeding sites by emptying sources of standing water outside of the home, such
as from flowerpots, buckets, and barrels.
Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if
emergency help is delayed and the free emergency app for weather alerts, open
Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose
whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find
language selector. Find these
and all the Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the
American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.
See also:
National
Volunteer Week: Volunteers are the Heart of the Red Cross
Daylight
Saving Time: Turn Your Clocks Forward and Test Your Smoke Alarms
Red
Cross Offers Safety Tips Following Steep Increase in Local Home Fires
