MILLS RIVER VOLUNTEER FIRE & RESCUE

SUMMER SAFETY ALPHABET

By Jeannie Pfeffer, NC Fire and Life Safety Educator III

SMOKE ALARMS are early warning devices that you have smoke and possibly a fire in your home. Please make sure that you have working smoke alarms that are less than 10 years old in your home. Alarms need to be tested monthly and the batteries should be changed when the time changes. If you have questions about your existing alarms, or need to have them replaced please contact your local fire department. Mills River Fire and Rescue has received a grant, which allows them to provide alarms to county residents.

BICYCLE HELMETS can prevent 88 percent of cyclists’ brain injuries according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute. Make sure that helmets are properly fitted and correctly positioned. Parents should lead by example and insist that children wear a helmet when riding scooters, tricycles, ATV’s, skateboarding and skating, or even horses. A good rule of thumb is anything that can be ridden most likely requires a helmet.

COOKOUTS AND PICNICS can be great fun as long as you handle your food properly. Pack well-wrapped food in an insulated cooler. Keep your cooler in the shade with the lid on. Remember to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Eat everything within a two-hour time period and return leftovers to the cooler. Always wash your hands before and after handling food and keep food preparation areas clean. Be careful of cross contamination. Information provided by the US Army Food Inspections, Katterbach, Germany

DIALING 911 is only for a TRUE Emergency. Calling 911 typically means that you are requesting something with lights and sirens, an ambulance, fire-truck, or police/sheriff’s officer. It is important that when you call 911, that you have some simple information ready for the dispatchers. They will ask you what your emergency is, and acquire some simple information regarding the situation. They will need you to give them directions to the incident or injury. They will ask for your name and a number that they can contact you, if further information is needed. Please remain on the line until the dispatcher tells you that you can hang up.

ELECTROLYTES are important and need to be replaced. During warmer weather and activities, sweating occurs. The fluids lost need to be replaced, by drinking more liquids than your thirst indicates, states the CDC. Waters, juices, and electrolyte replacement drinks are best. Sodas and alcohol will just contribute to the fluid loss.

FOURTH of JULY is coming and that means many people will be using fireworks. Although they can be fun to see, remember that they can be very dangerous. We recommend that you leave fireworks to the professionals. However, if you do plan to use fireworks, please remember the following: read and follow the directions. According to a report released by the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks caused over 11,000 reported injuries in the United States last year and the majority of those injuries involved fireworks that are legal under the current federal law.

GASOLINE has only ONE PROPER USE, and that is to power machinery or vehicles. Did you know that just one gallon of gasoline is equal to 14 sticks of dynamite in explosive force? Gasoline should never be used: as a hand-cleaner, to start a fire or ignite a grill, should never be siphoned by mouth, and should never be handled when using a cell phone or smoking. Gasoline should be kept in well-ventilated area-outdoors; machinery should only be filled when they are turned off completely.

HOLIDAYS increase the risk of accidents and injuries. Guests are coming and going during the holiday times, so it is important to make guests and their children aware of their surroundings. Remember that they are not familiar with your home. Please try to correct any hazards in your home before guests arrive or at least make them aware of the precautions.

INJURIES occur most often, during the spring and summer months. Take precautions to keep safe and make your summer all that it can be. Insects can be a real aggravation during the warm months, so keep sources of standing water to a minimum; and use repellents and citronella candles to keep them away. 

JET skis are a source of real fun. Just remember to always wear the proper safety gear when riding and operating a Jet Ski. Always when around the water, or in the water, wear your Pfd’s (life jackets.)

KITTENS, puppies, dogs, cats OH MY! Pets should be considered during the summer, as well. If you plan to travel, make sure that they are properly cared for. Provide extra water on hot days. Don’t ever leave your pet or child in a parked vehicle. The temperature can get unbearable within a few minutes. A three-inch crack doesn’t provide enough air circulation.

LAWN Mowers/Weed trimmers are all necessary to keep our yard looking nice. A child under 12 years of age should never operate any lawn mower and they should be at least 16 before operating a ride on mower. Please wait until the blades completely stop before trying to remove the grass catcher, unclogging the chute, or when crossing roads. When mowing on a slope, with a push behind mower, it is safe practice to mow across, not up and down the hill. On a slope with a riding mower, it is best to ride up and down. To minimize fire hazards, cut down on any shrubbery against your home and remove dead plants and bushes as soon as possible, as it is a source of fuel for a fire.

CARBON MONOXIDE poisoning is not uncommon in the summer months. Remember to keep gas grills away from sleeping areas. Keep grills outdoors, not in basements or garages. Traditional camping heaters, charcoal grills, camping lanterns, and gas generators can cause CO poisoning. Newer models of portable heaters are equipped with oxygen depletion sensors (ODS.) If oxygen levels drop, the sensor shuts off the heater.

NATURE, although beautiful, plays host to unseen hazards. That beautiful walk in the woods may result in a case of poison ivy, sumac, or something worse. Remember that the animals may not be as happy to see us, as we are to see them. Be aware of your surroundings and if walking, wear appropriate shoes. Always try to keep a method of communication available. It is important to be accountable and know your route. It is important to have someone available who can give a report if you do not return in a timely manner.

OZONE layers need our respect. Burning of improper substances can damage the ozone layer. Please don’t leave your car idling unless necessary. Use chemicals and substances that are kind to the environment.

PLAYGROUNDS are fun but can carry hazards. Check to make sure that there is a safe surface under the equipment. Check to make sure that the equipment is not too hot to play on. Slides sometimes can cause burns, if they are too hot. Never use wet playground equipment, it may cause falls. Use equipment properly. Don’t wear drawstrings or loose straps on clothing as it can catch and cause strangulation.  Parents should always supervise their children at the park. 

QUICKLY take action if you or your child becomes injured. Know what to do if you have an emergency. Know what number to call (911) in an emergency situation, and know what action to take until help arrives. Mills River Fire and Rescue encourages individuals to learn CPR and First Aid.

RENTAL cars are very convenient to use, but please get acquainted with them before you take them out on the road. All vehicles are not created equal. Be familiar with all the gauges, braking systems, and safety items (air-bags and restraint systems.) This will help you to be safer when you hit the road.

SPARKLERS are often considered a safer form of fireworks, but they can reach temperatures higher than 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. (Remember that water boils at 212 degrees.) The three most injury causing fireworks are firecrackers, sparklers, and rockets. About 50% of sparkler injuries happen to children under the age of five. It happened 550 times during June 20-July 20, 2003.

TICK bites can lead to Lyme disease. This starts with a rash and flu type symptoms. If you are planning to be in the woods or fields use insect repellent that contains deet. Wear light colored clothing and tuck pant legs into socks and shirts into pants. After a tick exposure, inspect your entire body for ticks. Remove ticks with tweezers and treat bites with topical antibiotic.

ULTRAVIOLET (UV) radiation can cause sunburn. Basking in the sun can be dangerous because of the depleting ozone layer. Wear a wide-brimmed hat, and limit your sun exposure, and apply sunscreen of at least SPF 15, and re-apply often. Use waterproof sunscreen if in the water.  

VEHICLE/MOTORCYCLE accidents are a leading cause of injuries and fatalities across the US. Please follow the proper restraint laws for your state. Wear your seat belts properly. In NC, it is recommended that children under age 12 be restrained in the rear seat. Never place a rear facing child safety seat in front of an active airbag.  If you have questions about properly restraining your child, contact your local fire department or a car seat station.

WATER/Swimming/Pools/Boats are all fun things, but remember to wear your Pfd’s and other safety equipment. If you own a pool, a pool alarm is great safety feature that signals you when someone or something falls into your pool. Alarms sense a water displacement of over 15 lbs and signals with a high decibel sound that there is a problem.

EXERCISE helps you to feel better and look better. Ease into a program and set reasonable goals.

YESTERDAY’S trash and clutter should be cleared out. Newspapers, magazines and stacks of papers are just fuel for a fire. Not to mention the trip/fall hazard that they create. Keep your walkways and paths clear of clutter and this will help you to move about safer and keep down fire hazards. 

ZOOS are educational and exciting places to take the children. However, it is important to remember that petting zoos especially come with dangers. Remember to make sure that everyone washes their hands before and after petting the animals. Animals and their droppings can carry numerous bacteria. Reptiles, such as small turtles carry the salmonella bacteria, so make sure that a small child doesn’t try to kiss them or put their hands into their mouths after handling. Information sited from US Army sources.