The Memorial Day “Common-Sense” Safety Guide

The unofficial start to summer is here with Memorial Day right around the corner. It’s that time of year for the long awaited warm weather, barbeque rituals, swimming, and that much needed vacation you have been planning to take. Memorial Day is one of those days that give you a taste of summer, and it’s a day for families and friends to get together. With warmer weather upon us, it also brings up some safety precautions to keep in mind.

Some things to bear in mind with the Memorial Day weekend are: more cars traveling on the roads, fires, burglaries, car accidents, and pool incidents.

We don’t want to take the wind out of your sails, but here are three facts associated with summer:

1. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 12,000 kids up to age 19 who died of accidental injuries did so in June, July, and August.
2. Barbecue grill fires result in about 8,000 home fires annually, according to the National Fire Protection Association.
3. 2.7 million children visit the ER each summer relating to injuries in the backyard or around the pool. Another 200,000 children end up in the ER for playset-related injuries each year.

Traveling on the road this Memorial Day? Seven tips to prevent a National Lampoon’s Family Vacation

Everyone knows that with Memorial Day comes traffic. As you travel to party and enjoy quality family time, keep these safety tips in mind:

1. Buckle up and maintain a safe speed and observe the speed limits
2. Be well rested and alert; give your full attention to the road
3. Make frequent stops
4. Carry a disaster supplies kit in your trunk
5. Don’t drink and drive
6. If you have car trouble, make sure you pull as far as possible off the highway
7. Let someone know your destination, your route, and when you expect to arrive. This way if you car gets stuck somewhere, help can be sent to you.

Be your neighborhood’s “Grill Master” with these six BBQ safety tips:

1. Don’t bury embers in sand or a corner of the backyard. Douse them water from a hose or a bucket of water.
2. Avoid grilling near garage, porches, or indoors. It’s recommended to stay at least 10 feet away from any structures.
3. Keep a fire extinguisher or spray bottle nearby in case of a flare-up.
4. Do not use gas or kerosene to fire up a charcoal fire.
5. If you’re using an old grill, be sure to check hoses for cracking, fragility, or leaks.
6. For newer grills, just be sure all the parts are assembled correctly and all hose and fittings are secured tightly.

CANNON BALL!—Four Pool Safety Tips

1. Make sure children are supervised near a pool.
2. Be aware of where safety equipment is placed.
3. Cover drains in pools. The suction can be very dangerous to children.
4. Empty water from kiddy pools if no one is present. An infant can drown in water as little as one inch deep.

A lot of the tips provided above seem like common sense, and they should. Whenever the warm weather approaches, we all get a little antsy for summer to begin and start cutting corners to start enjoying ourselves, especially the people who live in the colder regions of the country. Memorial Day is the holiday where we meet up with friends and family and enjoy what the season has yet to offer us.