OUT & ABOUT SAFETY – Water & Sun Safety

 

Navigate Page: General Water Safety – Heat Related Illness – Storm and Flash Flood Safety

 

Water Safety

Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death of children. Most drowning and near drowning happens when a child accidentally falls into a pool or is left alone in the tub. Drowning can happen in a matter of seconds. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer the phone. As with other unintentional injuries to children drowning are entirely preventable:

Never leave a young child alone or with a sibling in the tub...not even to answer the phone or to get a towel. If you must leave, take the child with you.

Always watch your child by the pool, spa, beach, or lake. Beware of backyard pools and spas in the neighborhood. Your child could wander off and accidentally fall in.

Install a poolside telephone.

Enroll children over age 3 in swimming lessons taught by qualified instructors. But keep in mind that lessons don't make your child "drown-proof."

Never let older children swim in unsupervised areas like quarries, canals, or ponds. Older kids are at risk of drowning when they overestimate their ability or underestimate how deep the water is.

Install a four-sided fence around your pool or spa. The house should not be used as one of the four sides. The fence should be five feet high and have a self-closing and self-latching gate.

Never leave 5-gallon buckets (even with a small amount of liquid) in an area accessible to children.  Infants and toddlers are top-heavy and may be unable to remove themselves if they were to fall in.

Enroll in CPR classes in your community. The life you save may be your child's http://www.savealifetfd.com/index.html

 

Become a Designated Child Watcher

Tucson’s Designated Child Watcher Program is a collaborative effort between Tucson Fire Department, KOLD Channel 13, & Patio Pools. A Child Watcher tag with a whistle attached is worn by a designated adult in order to help identify who is taking responsibility for children around water. The Child Watcher agrees to focus ALL of their attention on the safety of the children and does not leave the area for ANY reason.  This responsibility ends only when the whistle is passed to the next adult or the water activity over.

 

How do I become a Child Watcher?
If you would like to become a Designated Child Watcher, please call the Tucson Fire Department Public Education Department at (520) 791-4502.

 

Water Safety For Older Children

 

The best drowning prevention for younger children involves focused and constant adult supervision whenever children are in or near water.  It is also important to ensure the safety of older children when swimming with these 4 Key Rules:

 

  

Swim with a buddy, never alone.    

Don't dive or jump into the water. Always wade in first to avoid hitting your head on a shallow bottom.   

Don't push or jump on others.  

Teach older children to be prepared for an emergency by knowing how to dial 911.

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OUT & ABOUT SAFETY – Summer Weather Safety

 

Preventing Heat Related Illness

The hot, dry temperatures in the summer can be very dangerous for anyone, but young children and elderly are especially vulnerable to heat exposure. To avoid heat-related illness practice the following safety tips:

Always ensure that everyone in your family is hydrated before, during, and after activities during hot weather. The best time to consume fluids is before you are thirsty -- by the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. Avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol while in the sun or heat.  The best drink to consume is water or one of the many flavored sports drinks available.

 

  Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

If a person has any or all of the symptoms listed above, stop any activity and get them to a cool location.  Have them rest with their legs elevated and drink cool beverages such as water or sports drinks.  Anytime a person who has been exposed to heat becomes disoriented or unconscious, immediate medical attention for that person must be sought by calling 911.

Preventing Sunburns

The best way to prevent sunburn is to stay out of the sun completely. That, however, may not be realistic given that we average about 211 days of sun and about 85 days of partial clouds in Tucson.  You can protect yourself and your family from overexposure with the following tips:

use a sun block with a SPF of 15 or greater. An ounce of sun block will effectively cover your entire body.

Apply sun block at least 15 to 30 minutes before venturing out into the sun and re-apply at least every two hours especially if you have been swimming or perspiring.

Use sun blocks with higher SPF’s on areas that need extra protection like the tip of your nose, your ears, the tops of your feet, and your shoulders.

Do not use sun block on your lips. Instead, use only sun protection products designed specifically for lips.

Limit outdoor activities between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Play golf, lay in the sun, swim, etc., in the early morning or late afternoon.

Be aware of the sun risks even on cloudy days. Clouds and particulate matter in the air scatter sunlight. You can still burn even on a cloudy day.

Wear a good pair of sunglasses and some kind of protection -- the looser the better -- on your head.

Protect your children. Keep them from excessive sun exposure when the sun is strongest and apply sunscreen liberally and frequently to children 6 months of age and older.

Do not use sunscreen on children under 6 months of age. Parents with children under 6 months of age should strictly limit their children's sun exposure.

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OUT & ABOUT SAFETY – Summer Weather Safety

 

Storm and Flash Flood Safety
Summer storms in Tucson often bring welcome moisture and cooler temperatures to our desert climate.  However, there are many dangers that also come along with these benefits.

 

Lightning storms:

Seek shelter immediately!

Don't seek shelter under a tree if you're caught outside. Don't be the tallest object around - for example, in the mountains, stay below the tree line. The inside of a hardtop car is suitable shelter, in an emergency.

Avoid open areas such as fields and golf courses

Get at least 7 feet away from tall objects.

Avoid metal objects such as golf carts and clubs, lawn mowers and pipes

Stay off the phone.  Lightning can travel through electrical and phone currents. Keep large appliances off, including TVs.

Don't shower or bathe.

Don't swim, and return to shore if you're inside a boat.

 

If you encounter a downed power line:

Stay at least 100 feet away.

Don't touch anything metal if a power line has fallen on your car while you're in it. stay inside until professional help arrives.

Never try to help someone trapped by a downed power line; you will endanger your own safety. Instead, call 911 immediately.

 

In a dust storm:

Don't enter a dust storm if you can avoid it.

Turn headlights on and drive slowly and cautiously.

When/If  you pull off the road, get as far to the right as possible. Turn off the car and headlights, and set the parking brake. Keep your foot off the brake pedal or other drivers may think you're a car in motion.

 

Flashflood Dangers:

Flashfloods occur when rainy weather occurs upstream, and can affect washes and lower elevation areas not experiencing direct rainfall.  A flashflood can turn a dry wash bed into a raging river within a matter of seconds.

 

Don’t attempt to cross flooded washes, dips or other low-lying areas in a vehicle.  It is impossible to gauge the depth of the water, and control of a vehicle is lost in 6 inches of water. Most vehicles begin to float in 2 feet of water.

Don’t ride all terrain vehicles or drive off-road vehicles in washes at anytime.

Learn about the Arizona Revised Statute 28-910 which states that any motorist who drives around barricades to enter a flooded stretch of roadway may be charged for the cost of his/her rescue.

Don’t stand near banks of flooded washes, dips or low-lying areas.

Teach children about the dangers of playing in dry washes and streams.

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