Northeast Florda Safety Council Offers Safety Tips For The Summer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - May 31, 2017 - PRLog -- With the start of the summer months and more people enjoying vacations, the outdoors and additional home chores, the Northeast Florida Safety Council, Inc. (NEFSC) encourages everyone to take safety measures during the summer months.

         The Council's seasonal safety concerns include the areas of sun and heat issues, water safety and insect problems. "We want everyone to enjoy their summer," reported Shana Harvey, public relations director for NEFSC. "But we also want everyone to be safe in the process."

         The following are safety tips recommended by the Council.

Heat Issues

Whether you are working or playing outside in the summer, everyone, especially older citizens and children, could be exposed to heat-related illness. Take steps to protect you and your family through…

·      Wearing appropriate clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat

·      Taking frequent water breaks

·      Applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15

·      Never leaving kids or pets in an unattended vehicle

Water Safety

More than one in five drowning victims are children 14-years-old and younger. Most incidents happen when a child falls into a pool or is left alone in the bathtub. Keep kids safe in the water by…

·      Finding age-appropriate swim lessons for your child; however, realize that lessons do not make your child "drown-proof"

·      Not relying on lifeguards to watch over your children

·      Never leaving your child unattended around water

Barbecues

Don't risks food poisoning during barbecues in the hot summer sun. Make sure that mayonnaise and salads with mayonnaise stay out of the sun. If foods items are brought from the refrigerator directly to the table, don't let them sit out more than 15 minutes in the sun. And make sure those hamburgers are cooked thoroughly and not pink on the inside.

Bee & Wasps Stings

Many people are already aware that they are highly allergic to the venom in bee and wasp stings and are prepared with an EpiPen to avoid having to go to the ER. But for those who are not aware, the sting could cause severe, life-threatening reaction including dizziness due to a drop in blood pressure and the inability to breathe from swelling in the nose and throat. With this kind of reaction, immediate medical assistance is needed.

For those who are not allergic may only get a reaction where the sting took place. But any reaction can be made worse by multiple stings.  When stung, make sure to get the stinger out quickly. Use a credit card or a blunt-edge object to try to scrape out the stinger. If something like a credit card is not available, use your fingers because it's better then leaving it in and allowing more venom to be pumped in to your bloodstream. Also, put ice on the sting to reduce the swelling that may occur later. Also keep the area clean as possible. A topical anesthetic is also helpful to stave off itch and pain that can accompany a bite or sting.

Lyme Disease

To prevent tick bites, wear appropriate clothing outside, including light-colored clothing on legs so you can spot ticks quickly. Insect repellant is also helpful. Apply a repellant containing DEET to clothes and exposed skin. If you do find a tick on your skin, remember that it's more of a concern when they burrow into the skin and go deep enough to reach blood vessels and draw blood. When getting the tick out, it's important to get as much out as possible. Bring tweezers with you if you are going to be in a tick-infested area to ensure that you get as much as possible.

NEFSC is a non-governmental, not-for-profit, public service organization dedicated to promoting good health, saving lives, preventing accidents and maintaining a safe environment through workplace safety programs, road safety training programs and community service. With four locations throughout the First Coast, NEFSC offers classroom safety courses in addition to online training. For more information about the organization's services, call 904-399-3119 or visit NEFSC.org.

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