For many people, summer is the season to be outdoors 24/7. After all, you want to soak up the sun while it’s out and enjoy the great weather before winter arrives! Unfortunately, enjoying outdoor activities can also present many dangers for you and your family.
Discover what hazards you should be on the lookout for and the easy ways you can protect against them.
Water Safety is Essential
According to 2016 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, drowning is in the top five leading causes of accidental death in the U.S. so it’s important to be prepared before heading out onto the water.
Infants are most likely to drown in bathtubs or bathing buckets. From ages 1-4, drowning often occurs in family pools, especially when kids are unsupervised. Adults should always stay close when children are near water, just in case. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends swimming lessons, even in children ages 1-4.
It’s also important to ensure that your family pool is fenced in with four-sided fencing and a locking gate, measures that have been shown to prevent over half of child swimming pool deaths.
For teens and young adults, drowning is more likely to be caused by risk-taking behaviors, like swimming out too far or combining water activities with drugs or alcohol. It’s important for teens and young adults to always swim with a friend and avoid water when under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Drowning Prevention is Easier Than You Think
The best way to prevent water-related deaths? Know how to swim and learn CPR.
Make sure to sign up yourself—and your whole family—for a community-offered CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) class. Every physically capable person should learn basic CPR and first aid skills.
Why is this important? CPR started within the first six minutes of a person’s heart-stopping can keep the person alive until medical help arrives.
More Summer Safety Tips
Summer activities can also bring other dangers. Luckily, as long as you’re prepared, you can hike, bike and camp safely throughout the season. Consider these summer safety tips:
- Traveling with a chronic medical problem? Bring all your medication and equipment with you, as well as emergency contact information for your doctor. Keep a list of your medications and allergies with you. See more travel safety tips.
- Have you had a tetanus shot lately? Make sure it’s up to date, especially if you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors.
- Prevent heat-related illness. Avoid going outside for long periods of time during the times of day that see peak temperatures. Drink lots of water and avoid beverages with high caffeine or sugar content that can further dehydrate you. Find out more about how to prevent heat-related illnesses.
- Have the proper safety gear. Most recreational activities have some kind of safety equipment that is essential for protecting yourself. That means biking with a helmet and proper light/reflective gear; skateboarding and rollerblading with a helmet and pads; boating and kayaking with an appropriate floating device like a vest; and, of course, using sunscreen anytime you are out during the day.
- Enjoy hiking? Prevent bug bites and stings by applying insect repellent. You can also wear a long-sleeved shirt and long pants with the hems tucked in. Always do a full-body check for ticks after being in the woods. It’s also important to learn about plants that can cause harm, such as poison ivy, poison sumac and poison oak.
