Summer Safety Tips!

Watch Out Near Open Water – Love hitting the pool?  A swimming pool is a BIG, huge, giant, enormous hazard.  If you’re at a swimming pool this summer or even if you fill one in your back yard, keep your eyes open.  Put away books, phones and any other distractions.   Yesterday I saw a toddler take a tip into this baby pool and my heart was racing.   His Mama was right there and picked him up in 5 seconds flat, but what if she wasn’t watching?  Many pools post signs, NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY.  Save a life and keep your eyes alert.

Wear Sunscreen – Going outside?  Whether you’re headed out for 5 minutes or 5 hours, lather up and repeat often. Don’t forget to protect lips and ears, where skin is delicate and burns easily. Parents too!  Wear UV protective clothing and don’t forget a hat. 

Enjoy Fireworks at a Distance – Nothing says summer like a night sky filled with fireworks. The squeals, pops and flashes can be a sensory overload for a children and pets.  Don’t be afraid to skip the up-close fireworks party for a large community display or even a digital display from home, fireworks app anyone?

Wear a Helmet – Is there a park across the street?  Do you live on a cul-de-sac?  Just like putting on sunscreen, teach your children to make a habit of wearing their helmets, even when they’ll “just be in the driveway.”  According to WearAHelmet.org, more than 50 percent of children hospitalized for bike, skateboarding or in-line skating injuries will have brain injury.

Stay Hydrated – When temperatures are hot and kids are outside for extended periods of time, they’ll be at risk for heat exhaustion.  What should you look for?  WebMD lists dizziness, confusion, fainting and nausea as some symptoms.  Find a cool spot and drink plenty of fluids.  The best way to prevent heat exhaustion is to limit outdoor activities when the heat index above 90.

Leaves of Three – Let it Be - Sometimes getting off the beaten path means running into trouble.  If you frequent the forest or other areas with vegetation, teach your children about poison ivy and other irritants.    Keep some calamine lotion on hand to soothe itching after a nice, cold soak in water.

Bee Prepared – Bee stings can be traumatic to a young child, but you may not realize your child is allergic.  Subsequent stings will only increase the reaction in an allergic child.  My mom always made us a paste of baking soda and water to soothe the sting.  How can you avoid bee stings?  Check the open soda cans before you drink.  Avoid looking like and smelling like a flower, really.  If you think your child may have an allergic reaction to a bee sting, seek medical attention immediately. 

Check the Playground – In just 80-degree weather, a typical plastic playground slide can heat up enough to cause second degree burns.  According to the Consumer Product Safely Commission (CPSC), children 2 and under are especially vulnerable as their skin is more delicate. Also, kids this age don’t know how to react and get off the hot surface. 

Stay on the Trail -We love to hike as a family.  Before we head out, we let Grandma know where we’re going and when we’ll be back.  We carry cell phones in case we need help.  The best safety tip is to teach children how to recognize a trail and the importance of staying on it.  Some trails have posted signs and arrows. It’s always fun to spot a trail marker or cairn, a pile of stacked rocks.

Never Leave Kids in a Car – Period.  We posed for this picture with the car running and the windows down.  A car parked in the sun on a 93-degree day will reach over 140 degrees in less than an hour.  Make a mental note to triple check your car before walking away.  In case you need another visual reminder…here are some numbers.

Fire Safety Home Tips!

Keep your family safe from home fires Although deaths and injuries from residential fires have decreased in the past several years, deaths from fires and burns are still the third leading cause of fatal home injuries (CDC). Seventy percent of these deaths are from inhaling smoke. Two-thirds of deaths from home fires occurred in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.  Fires are more likely to happen in certain areas or by certain equipment in your house. Be extra careful while you're cooking, smoking, around candles, furnaces, electrical cords and fireplaces, and with children, toddlers and babies nearby. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, cooking equipment, most often a range or a stovetop, is the leading cause of reported U.S. home fires and home fire injuries. Fortunately, there are things you and your family can do to protect yourselves.

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Have a properly working smoke alarm Change the battery to your smoke alarm once a year and change the whole unit every 10 years. Pick a special day, a birthday, holiday or daylight savings and change the battery every year on that day. If possible, replace smoke alarms with interconnected alarms. When one alarm goes off, the others will sound too. Smoke alarms should be in every floor of your house (including your basement) and outside bedrooms or sleeping areas. Test your smoke alarm monthly. Make sure your kids are familiar with the sound of the alarm.   Plan a family escape route Practice it on a monthly basis. Practice with everyone in your family, even children, toddlers and infants. Practice from every room in the house.   Install a home sprinkler system These can be built in a new home or put into an existing home. Sprinklers can reduce property damage, injuries and most importantly reduce the number of deaths from home fires.   Learn how to use your fire extinguisher Use a fire extinguisher when a fire is contained, like in a waste basket. Keep your fire extinguisher in an easily accessible place. Call your local fire department if you have questions on how to use a fire extinguisher. Fire extinguishers have gauges on them indicating when they need to be replaced. They should be checked regularly to make sure they are still functional. If a fire occurs in your home: Never open a door that feels hot. Escape another way. Take the safest route, but if you have to go through smoke, crawl low and under the smoke. Cover your nose and mouth with a moist towel (if possible) or an article of clothing. Immediately leave your house, and then call for help. Once you’re out, stay out. Don’t go back in, not even to grab someone else.

Spring Cleaning? Use This Easy Checklist!!!

How To Organize A Neighborhood Yard Sale

1. Choose a date to hold your sale.

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   Make up some fliers about six weeks ahead of your sale date to let your neighbors know about your sale and ask them to join in. Be sure to put your phone number and email address on your fliers.
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   Find and prepare the the items you wish to sell. Go through a closet or a drawer anytime you get the chance, and as you pull out things for your sale, go right ahead and mark them with prices, using a marker and some tape. Put the items in a bag or the box, and tuck them away in the basement or the garage.
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   Send out another flier reminding your neighbors that the time has come. Do this about a week to 10 days before the sale.
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   Try and paint the signs. Advertising is important here. People won't come to a garage sale with a lopsided piece of cardboard as a sign. Get a good piece of hardboard, and paint on your message in white.
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   Advertise in your local paper or an online classified site.
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   Include general street intersections, where you have signs, in your listing that will make it really simple. It is easier to say go to 9th and 10th rather than 1000 9th st, because now they have to look that up.
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   Ask a participating neighbor to make some signs and put them out on busy street corners the night before the sale.
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   Arrange everything in your garage the night before. If you need to set up on a driveway or yard, have everything near the door so you can run it all out and set it up quickly in the morning.
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   Remove your sign after the sale for several reasons. One: so people don't come back the next week looking for the yard sale. Two: most city ordinances requires signs be removed.

OTHER HELPFUL TIPS:

Be willing to deal on prices. The object is to get rid of the stuff and let it go to someone who will use it (so it won't take up space in your landfill).

Be sure to wipe things off, cut loose threads, sew on a button, or whatever might be necessary to make sure the items are top quality. You will have more luck selling an item if it looks presentable!

Try to pick a nice day to hold the sale. No one would like to go home with wet items!

Be ready well before your stated opening time. If you have advertised well, people will show up early.

What you don't sell, sell on well known online auction pages and tell your neighbors to visit the web site you've chosen. Tell them to upload their unsold items as well.