Safety Tips for Summer Fun Part 1
Cited: ABC News
Along with the home cookouts, there is the pool, camping trips and other outdoor activities that the arrival of summer as well as the allure of summertime pleasures brings, that is seasonal hazards. These hazards come in the form of heat related illnesses and lightning strikes, believe it or not.
Fortunately, there are simple tips that summer fun seekers can take to heart that can go a long way in ensuring that summer outings are safe ones. ABC News Senior Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser suggests some of the tips below as ways to help you protect your health, as well as that of your family — and they may even save a life.
Keeping It Cool: 10 Tips to Prevent Heat-Related Illness
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 3,442 deaths resulting from exposure to extreme heat were reported from 1999 to 2003 — an average of nearly 700 deaths per year. But because heat-related illness can often worsen existing medical conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, the total number of deaths in the U.S. each year related to heat exposure may actually be much higher.
As heat-related illnesses are most common during the sweltering summer months, health officials with the CDC and the National Institutes of Health offer the following tips to protect your health.
1) Drink more fluids, regardless of your activity level, and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Just be sure to avoid drinks that contain alcohol or large amounts of sugar, as these can actually cause you to become more dehydrated. The exception to this rule is if your doctor generally limits the amount of fluid you drink or has you on water pills; if this is the case, check with your doctor to see how much you should drink while the weather is hot.
2) Stay indoors and, if at all possible, stay in an air-conditioned place. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to a shopping mall, public library or any other venue that does, as even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat. If such air-conditioned venues are not immediately available to you, call your local health department to see if there are any heat-relief shelters in your area.
Tips to Stay Safe from Heat Stroke in Hot Summer Months
3) Electric fans can provide comfort when it gets hot, but when the temperature is in the high 90s or above, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
4) Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, and be sure to dress for the weather. Some people find natural fabrics such as cotton to be cooler than synthetic fibers. Light-colored clothes also feel cooler.
5) Never leave anyone or any animal in a closed, parked vehicle when the weather is hot.
6) Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related illness, some are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on infants and young children, people aged 65 or older, 
people who have a mental illness, and those who are physically ill, especially with heart disease or high blood pressure.
7) If you must be out in the heat, limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours. Cut down on exercise during the day, and if you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour. A sports beverage may be a good choice, as it can replace the salt and minerals you lose in sweat. Try to rest often in shady areas.
Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat — an accessory which should also keeps you cooler. Be sure to also wear sunglasses and apply on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher; the most effective products say “broad spectrum” or “UVA/UVB protection” on their labels.
9) Pay attention to the weather reports. You are more at risk as the temperature or humidity rises or when there is an air pollution alert in effect.
10) Headache, confusion, dizziness or nausea when you’re in a hot place or during hot weather could be a sign of a heat-related illness. Seek out a doctor or an emergency room to find out if you need treatment.
Continued in “Safety Tips for Summer Fun Part 2″
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My Take: As I live in Phoenix Arizona, I know all of this. However, the snowbirds that come in the wintertime don’t know anything! Then you have those that decide to stay over the summer, under estimating the heat. That is when they wish they were at the Keys sport fishing. Then you have those that are here for a June wedding.
These are the ones that hire a San Diego CA wedding decor specialist to come in for the wedding decorations. Instead of hiring someone local, they think they can get better San Diego CA wedding declarations than those made in Arizona. Maybe they should just go get one of those Key West fishing charters and have a wedding at sea.
There is one good thing about having a wedding in Arizona in June; you don’t have to work too hard to lose belly fat. And lose belly fat for men is even easier because they sweat even more. You must realize, that bride has to fit into that wedding gown is 2 sizes too small.
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