Summer Safety

While there are many benefits and enjoyment around the summer months, there are some important safety precautions to take that will help you live a healthier and happier season this year! Check out the cautionary tips below on food, hydration, thunderstorms, and tick and mosquito bites.

Summertime is perfect for grilling, enjoying meals outside, and eating fresh fruits and vegetables!

While you are outside grilling with your friends and family, follow these tips:

  • Keep meat, poultry, and seafood refrigerated until you are ready to put it on the grill.
  • Thaw your foods properly to avoid the multiplying of harmful germs.
  • Wash your hands and work surfaces before and after cooking.
  • Clean your grill before cooking with a moist cloth or paper towel. If you use a wire brush, inspect your grill thoroughly before use. Wires that dislodge from the brush can stick into food that you are cooking on the grill and can cause injuries.

Bacteria can multiply rapidly if foods are left at room temperature or in temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F.  To ensure that food is chilled properly:

  • Never leave perishable foods out for more than two hours or one hour if temperatures are above 90 degrees.
  • Package warm foods in clean, shallow containers and then place them in the refrigerator.
  • Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or lower and keep your freezer at 0 °F or lower.
  • Do not thaw food on counters.

If you are enjoying healthy and delicious fruits and vegetables this summer, be sure to wash your fruits and vegetables even if you do not plan on eating the peel. Germs that are on the peel of the produce you are consuming can get inside of the fruits and vegetables once they are cut.

The higher temperatures of summer days cause us to sweat, which is our bodies’ natural response to help cool ourselves.  Because sweating removes salt and minerals from our bodies, it is important to remain hydrated in the summer months to help prevent heat-related illnesses.

Choosing to drink water or a sports beverage is a great way to keep our bodies hydrated, but it is important to note if you are on a low-salt diet, have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic conditions, talking with your provider about what sports beverage options would be best for you is encouraged, because of the ingredients they use.

To stay hydrated over the summer:

  • Bring a water bottle with you throughout the day.
  • Freeze water bottles that are freezer safe for ice-cold water throughout the day.
  • Choose water when you are out to eat and when you serve meals.
  • Add lime or lemon to your water to help the taste.

 

Our bodies’ natural response to help cool ourselves is by sweating. Because sweating removes salt and minerals from our bodies, it is important to remain hydrated in the summer months to help prevent heat-related illnesses. To avoid getting sick in the heat, follow these tips:

  • Drink water frequently.
  • Don’t wait until you are thirsty.
  • Remind others to drink water too.

If your health care provider has limited your amount of water intake due to a prescribed medication, ask if the amount should change during increased temperatures in the summer months.

Thunderstorms are common during the summer months, and often take place while you are spending time outside in the nice weather.

It is important that you check the forecast to know how you can best plan your day. Sometimes, the storms come unexpectedly. When lightning passes through the air, thunder is created. Lightning is a spark of electricity and can cause severe harm and even death if you are struck. If you hear thunder, seek shelter. Shelters that are safe include homes, offices, shopping centers, and hard-top vehicles with all the windows rolled up.

During a thunderstorm, follow these tips:

  • Do not shower, bathe, wash dishes, or have any other water contact.
  • Avoid the use of anything connected to an electrical outlet.
  • Do not use corded phones.
  • Do not lie on concrete floors or lean on concrete walls.

If you happen to get caught in a thunderstorm while you are outside, always try to seek safe shelter first, but this is what you can do if you get caught outside during a thunderstorm.

  • Avoid lying on the ground.
  • Avoid being near or under tall trees.
  • Crouch down in a ball-like position by putting your feet together, squatting low, tucking your head, and covering your ears

Spending time in nature during the summer months is a great way to enjoy all the season has to offer.  However, it can increase your exposure to fleas, ticks, and mosquitos.

  • Before going outside, apply an insect repellent that is Environmental Protection Agency (EDA)-registered that has one of the following active ingredients to help prevent the bite:
    • DEET
    • IR3535
    • Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
    • Picaridin
    • 2-undecanone
  • Wear loose-fitting clothing that covers your skin such as long-sleeved shirts and pants.
  • After coming outside from being outdoors, tumble dry your dry clothing on high heat for 10 minutes to get rid of ticks. If your clothing is damp, you may need to dry them for additional time.
  • Always look for ticks are you have been outside. Use a hand-held mirror or a full-length mirror to view all parts of your body and remove any tick that you may find.
  • After coming outside from being outdoors, take a shower. Showering can help wash off ticks that are unattached, and this is also a great opportunity to check for ticks.

If you have noticed that a tick is on your body, follow these steps for tick removal:

  • Use clean tweezers that are fine tipped to get ahold of the tick as close as you can to the skin’s surface.
  • Once you get ahold of the tick, pull upward with steady and even pressure. Do not twist or jerk the tick.
  • Once the tick is removed, clean the bite area as well as your hands with rubbing alcohol or soap and water.
  • Do not crush a tick with your fingers. Instead, dispose of a live tick by either putting it in alcohol, placing it in a sealed bag or container, wrapping it tightly in tape, or flushing it down the toilet.

Southern West Virginia Health System wishes you a happy, fun, and safe summer season!

To learn more about food safety, please click here

To learn more about hydration, please click here

To learn more about thunderstorms and lightning, please click here

To learn more about mosquito and tick bites, please click here