Summer Safety Tips for the Whole Family

EXTREME HEAT Safety Information from the Centers for Disease Control

When the temperatures rise, remember these simple steps to protect you and your family from the heat...

Babies under 6 months:

• Avoiding sun exposure and dressing infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck are still the top recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn. However when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of suncreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands. If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area. But it is ALWAYS BET to keep infants out of the direct sun.

For Young Children:

• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays.

For Older Children:

The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.

• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen - about one ounce per sitting for a young adult.

• Reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating.

• Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.

HEAT STRESS IN EXERCISING CHILDREN

• The intensity of activities that last 15 minutes or more should be reduced whenever high heat and humidity reach critical levels.
• At the beginning of a strenuous exercise program or after traveling to a warmer climate, the intensity and duration of exercise should be limited initially and then gradually increased during a period of 10 to 14 days to accomplish acclimatization to the heat.
• Before prolonged physical activity, the child should be well-hydrated. During the activity, periodic drinking should be enforced, for example, each 20 minutes, 5 oz of cold tap water or a flavored sports drink for a child weighing 90 lbs, and 9 oz for an adolescent weighing 130 lbs, even if the child does not feel thirsty.

• Clothing should be light-colored and lightweight and limited to one layer of absorbent material to facilitate evaporation of sweat. Sweat-saturated garments should be replaced by dry garments.
• Practices and games played in the heat should be shortened and more frequent water/hydration breaks should be instituted.
• Here are ADDITIONAL SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FROM THE CDC

Water Safety for children

• Install a fence at least four-feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.
• Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach.
• Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
• Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd's hook - a long pole with a hook on the end - and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd's hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as "floaties." They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.
• Children may not be developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday. Swim programs for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning.
• Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."

And for adults...

Here are a few simple reminders to keep adults safe too:

• Avoid drinking alcohol before or during swimming, boating, or water skiing. Avoid drinking alcohol while
  supervising children around water.
• Learn to swim. Enroll yourself and your children in swimming classes. The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend swimming classes as a means of drowning prevention for children aged less than 4 years.

For all swimmers, check out the CDC's new "Healthy Swimming / Recreational Water" page

Food Safety Tips for Summer Picnics!

Because more people are cooking outside at picnics, barbecues, and on camping trips, the safety controls that a kitchen provides — thermostat-controlled cooking, refrigeration, and washing facilities — are usually not available. We know foodborne illness increases in warm weather. We also know that consumers can Fight BAC!® by following these four simple steps to safer food in the summertime.

Clean: Wash Hands and Surfaces Often.
Unwashed hands are a prime cause of foodborne illness.
Wash your hands with warm, soapy water before handling food and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and handling pets.
When eating away from home, find out if there's a source of potable (safe drinking) water. If not, bring water for preparation and cleaning. Or pack clean, wet, disposable washcloths or moist towelettes and paper towels for cleaning hands and surfaces.

Separate: Don't Cross-Contaminate.
Cross-contamination during preparation, grilling, and serving food is a prime cause of foodborne illness.
When packing the cooler chest for an outing, wrap raw meats securely; avoid raw meat juices from coming in contact with ready-to-eat food.
Wash plates, utensils, and cutting boards that held the raw meat or poultry before using again for cooked food.

Cook: Cook to Proper Temperatures.
Food safety experts agree that food is safely cooked when it is heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
Take your thermometer along. Meat and poultry cooked on a grill often browns very fast on the outside, so be sure that meats are cooked thoroughly. Check them with a food thermometer.
Cook beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops to a safe minimum internal temperature of 145 °F. Cook steaks and roasts that have been tenderized, boned, rolled, etc., to an internal temperature of 160 °F.
Cook all cuts of pork to an internal temperature of 160 °F.
Cook ground beef, veal and lamb an internal temperature of 160 °F.
All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F throughout the product.
Cook meat and poultry completely at the picnic site. Partial cooking of food ahead of time allows bacteria to survive and multiply to the point that subsequent cooking cannot destroy them.

Chill: Refrigerate Promptly.
Holding food at an unsafe temperature is a prime cause of foodborne illness. Keep cold food cold!
Cold refrigerated perishable food like luncheon meats, cooked meats, chicken, and potato or pasta salads should be kept in an insulated cooler packed with several inches of ice, ice packs, or containers of frozen water.
Consider packing canned beverages in one cooler and perishable food in another cooler because the beverage cooler will probably be opened frequently.
Keep the cooler in the coolest part of the car, and place in the shade or shelter, out of the sun, whenever possible.
Preserve the cold temperature of the cooler by replenishing the ice as soon as it starts melting.
If a cooler chest is not an option, consider taking fruits, vegetables, hard cheeses, canned or dried meats, dried cereal, bread, peanut butter, crackers, and a bottle of refreshing beverage.
Take-out food: If you don't plan to eat take-out food within 2 hours of purchase, plan ahead and chill the food in your refrigerator before packing for your outing.

Leftovers?
Food left out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours may not be safe to eat. Above 90 °F, food should not be left out over 1 hour. Play it safe; put leftover perishables back on ice once you finish eating so they do not spoil or become unsafe to eat.  REMEMBER: When in doubt, throw it out.

For more important safe food handling tips,visit the FDA's FOOD FACTS web page!

 

 

West Nile Virus / Mosquito Control

Barbecues, picnics, swimming pools, and…mosquitoes. Let’s face it - unfortunately, mosquitoes are just part of the ‘summer fun’ package. But there are plenty of easy steps you can take to reduce your chances of mosquito bites. Here are a few simple steps:
--- Stay indoors at dawn, dusk and early evenings
--- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants whenever you are outdoors, particularly during the above peak times.
--- Avoid soaps, shampoos, lotions, colognes, and perfumes with heavy fragrances
--- Apply insect repellent containing 20% - 30% DEET to exposed skin or clothing (10% for children). DEET has been shown to be effective against mosquitoes. Do not apply to children under 3 years of age, and do not apply to hands or face of children. Read and follow directions carefully.

While mosquito bites are generally harmless, public health officials continue to monitor for evidence of West Nile Virus, both in animals and humans. Learn more from the CDC.