Summer Safety
Summer! School is out, Swimming is in! Book reports are off the desk, and the BBQ is on the grill! Nothing says quality family time like an afternoon together playing in the water and eating a delicious smoked meal.
But with the carefree nature that summer gives our children, we as adults must be ever more diligent with their natural curiosity. Even as adults as you sit around a camp fire at night or around pool in the afternoon, the water and fire are intoxicating. It is so relaxing to just stare at it.
Our children, who are fulfilled by exploring the wonders of their world, just cannot comprehend the potential dangers. In the summer months, Fire/EMS see a stark rise in calls for burns from children coming in contact with hot grills as well as children drowning or having near drownings, as already being reported on the news.
When it comes to grills, building a simple brick wall around the backside of the grill will help keep little hands from reaching out or even accidentally running into a hot grill side while being chased by siblings. Even positioning some potted plants or other obstacles around the grilling area will remind your children to steer clear.
Pools and lakes are an oasis for the hot Georgia summer sun. Even if your child has had swimming lessons, that doesn’t preempt them from needing 100 percent adult supervision. Do not be fooled by the Hollywood version of drownings that are full of splashes and yelling. Drownings are silent!!
Unintentional drowning is the fifth leading cause of death in the US; with an average of 10 deaths per day. On average, two of those 10 are children under the age of 14. Eighty percent of all drownings are male; and children ages 1-4 have the highest drowning rates.
Barriers, Buddies, and CPR!!—Many drownings occur when children have free access to bodies of water. If you have a pool, installing a perimeter fence is paramount to aiding in the safety of all children that have access to your property. Even if your body of water is the lake, having a barricade for curious little ones who escape you for even a few moments will help prevent them being in the water before you find them.
They’re sneaky little ones, right? I get it. I’ve been there. I’ll also add that barriers include life jackets. They are a barrier to drownings. Wear them, ALL THE TIME! Especially on the lake but they are very appropriate for the pool.
And no matter what your age, have a buddy whenever you’re in the water. Pool or lake, you never know when an emergency may strike, you do not want to be alone.
And most important, CPR! I can’t say it enough. CPR. A future article will be out shortly on CPR all on its own merit. CPR by a lay person (that’s you) has a 91 percent survival rate!!! Get it! Know it! Use it!
Each week we’ll be presenting topics of interest and concern to better educate the community we serve. If you have any questions or a topic you’d like to see covered, please submit your inquiries to the editor!
