Summer Safety Tips

Summer is almost here!

We are all looking forward to spending more time outdoors after being indoors all winter!

Children especially get excited about playing outside. Parents should encourage this! It is important to be aware of the potential dangers they could face outdoors.

Accidents Happen!

Accidents happen all the time, but outdoor activities can increase the risk. Educate your children on danger in their play areas, and watch smaller children at all times.

• Do you have a swimming pool in your yard? A majority of fatal pool drownings are in children under five, and often in backyard pools. It is so important to have your pool not accessible unless someone is watching it. It is also a good idea to have your children learn to swim, or have a healthy fear of water until they do.

• Do you have a fire pit in your yard? This is also a safety risk. Please make sure your fire pit is a safe distance from your home, and do not leave your fire unattended! Watch small children around the fire, it only takes a second for a child to trip and fall and be injured. You should have a hose and fire extinguisher nearby in case it gets out of control. Be sure to extinguish the fire completely before you leave it.

• Trampolines can be another cause for awareness. Children falling off, or landing poorly when trying to do a stunt, can cause serious injury. You should have an enclosure around your trampoline, and only allow one child on it at a time.

• Another summer hazard, is mowing the lawn. Be sure to keep kids away from lawn mowers, they are not a toy. Wear closed toe shoes, and be very careful to have the mower turned off if you are servicing it.

There are so many fun things to do outside in the summer, we want you to enjoy your summer and be safe!