Over the past several years, I’ve seen a number of “PSAs” (public service announcements) pop up around the internet about various summer safety issues.  They’re so scattered, though, that I thought it might be helpful to gather them all together in one place.

Let me be clear: I’m not trying to be a fear-mongerer here!  Most of these are fairly small things, but things most of us didn’t know or hadn’t thought about, so just a little bit of awareness can potentially avoid numerous instances of pain.  And the others are issues most of us probably already knew about, but solutions we might not have been aware of.  So think of this post as a “knowledge is power” kind of thing, not a “dangers lurking everywhere” kind of thing.

Heat (in General)

Heat is, of course, one of the most obvious safety risks of summer — and most of us know how to use common sense to avoid its becoming a problem rather than mere discomfort. It is helpful to know how to distinguish when someone has moved beyond just uncomfortably overheated, to heat exhaustion, and then to heat stroke, because heat stroke is a medical emergency.

If the person is no longer sweating, is unconscious, and/or has a fever-level temperature, seek medical attention.  Or if symptoms of heat exhaustion don’t abate when the person is moved to a cool place and provided with hydration, seek medical attention.

And keep in mind that if someone has lost an unusual amount of fluids due to sweating, he doesn’t only need to be rehydrated (water isn’t enough).  He needs electrolytes, as well.  This is the purpose of sports drinks like Gatorade. If you prefer a “cleaner” option to have on hand (less processed junk), consider coconut water*, Re-Lyte capsules, or an electrolyte powder such as Re-Lyte* or Ultima.

*I like the Nooma’s flavored coconut waters because they don’t taste like coconut water — which I don’t like. I haven’t tried the Re-Lyte powder yet; it’s fairly new.

Heat (Kids in Cars)

Of course, being out in the heat isn’t the only way heat can pose a problem.  There are also particular situations where the environment or parts of it get hot enough to be dangerous.  Kids in hot cars are one of the most shocking examples we see of this.

Make sure your kids know not to play in the car.

And be aware that leaving kids in hot cars accidentally is not something that “bad parents” do because they don’t care, but something human parents do because they’re…well, human. Most of the time when children are left in cars, it’s because the child being in the car at all was not part of the regular routine, while everything else was. So when the parent’s brain went on “autopilot” — as all of ours do at times — they skipped over that exception to the routine that was the child.

One way to fight this tendency is to put something that is part of the regular routine in back with the child.  For instance, if you are on your way to work and dropping the child off isn’t normally something you do, put your briefcase or your work badge or whatever it is you normally reach for when you get to work, with the child.

(Another option is an alarm custom-made for this purpose, but since this usually only becomes an issue when outside one’s normal routine, I’m not sure an alarm is a very practical option.)

Hot Hoses, Surfaces

The air isn’t the only thing that gets hot. The water in a garden hose can be over 140 degrees (F) when it’s been sitting out in the sun.  This is hot enough to scald.  If children or pets are going to play in or drink water from the hose, be sure to let it run for a few minutes first to clear the old, heated water out of it so no one gets burned.

Along similar lines, watch out for surfaces and bare feet.  You probably already know to check for hot pavement.  And unless you’re totally new to beachgoing, you probably know that the sand can get hot. What you might not realize is that artificial turf gets hotter than these surfaces. The result is not only a surface that can directly burn your feet if you walk on it barefoot, but increased heat radiating from it which can cause those running around on it to overheat more quickly.

(Translation: 93.38° F artificial grass in shade, 144.14° F artificial grass in sun, 82.04° F real grass in shade, 100.58° real grass in sun)

Water Safety (Guarding the Pool)

The other major risk in summertime is water.  Of course water is present year-round, but the increased prevalence of water activities and the appeal of cool water in the summer heat increases the risk in summertime.

While nothing is a substitute for close supervision when we know folks are in the water, there are some precautions that can be taken to help prevent the drowning of young children that weren’t expected to be in the water.

Number one, if you have a pool, be sure it’s thoroughly fenced, so neighbor children can’t just wander in.  (At least not easily.  We all know a few Houdinis who find ways to circumvent ‘most anything.)

Number two, seriously consider a pool alarm.  These are designed to go off at sudden disruptions to the water’s surface — like if a pet or small child falls in.

Water Safety (General Precautions)

Other ways to help guard against drowning include:

• Watchful supervision. It sounds like stating the obvious, but you might be surprised at how many children have drowned while numerous adults were present.  Non-swimmers and those who aren’t tall enough to stand in the pool with their heads above water should have eyes on them at all times, not just adults “around.”
• Knowing what drowning looks like. It isn’t like you often see in the movies. Drowning is usually silent because those who are struggling aren’t getting air.  And be aware that older kids and adults can drown, too; it isn’t necessarily little ones.

• “drownproofing classes” — This is a bit of a misnomer, since nothing is “proof” against drowning, but the colloquial term refers to special lifesaving classes — more properly known as “infant self-rescue” classes — designed to teach babies how to buy themselves time and call for help if they fall into a pool or other body of water.

• thoughtfully-chosen swimsuit colors — I don’t know about you, but it would never have even occurred to me that my children’s swimsuits could make a difference, but some are far more visible in the water than others — and what kind of water you’re in makes a difference. If you expect to spend a lot of time in busy/heavily-trafficked bodies of water, you might want to give some thought to the colors when choosing your children’s swimwear.

Water Safety – Moving Water

Skip the river when the water is extra-high.  Local officials usually put out warnings when the water levels are unusually high, and for good reason — fatal accidents are more likely when the water is higher, making it faster-moving.

If you’re at the beach, you probably know about rip tides…but do you know how to recognize them?  It turns out, the places that look like they would be calmest probably aren’t.

Former surf lifesaver Kenny Jewell provides some practical, helpful information about rip tides in this Facebook post.  (Be sure to click through the images to see what he’s illustrating.)

Outdoor Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

One last water-related heads-up: did you know that you can get carbon monoxide poisoning outside, if you’re on a boat?  I had no idea.

“CO symptoms are similar to seasickness or alcohol intoxication and can make you sick in seconds. Even a few breaths in high enough concentration, can be fatal.” (Tulsa District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)  For those swimming near boat exhaust, it can lead to drowning.

The CDC has more information about carbon monoxide and boats here.

Grilling

Wire grill brushes can shed bristles on your grill, which can then end up in your food…and ultimately in your mouth, throat, and digestive system.

Better to use a scraper, steam, or even just burn the junk off.  (They make bristle-free grill “brushes” now, too; I have no idea how well they work.)  If you must use a wire-bristle brush, be sure to inspect the grill afterward to ensure you didn’t leave any bristles behind.

Biking

I’m going to tell on myself here. When one of my girls was young, she got tangled up in her bike chain — because I didn’t even think to tell her that she shouldn’t wear a long dress when she’s riding her bike. They knew to wear helmets and shoes, but I didn’t think about the fact that sometimes she goes out in dresses.  Be smarter than I was.

(There are some ways to manage it safely, but it requires a few “special tricks.” If you’re firm on dresses-only, you can make it work, but we’re not so it’s easier just to tell her bike riding is a pants activity.)

If you have any other summer safety PSAs, please leave them in the comments!