Be safe this summer
- Details
- Published on Thursday, August 28, 2014
By Brent Fowler
Director of Training and Operations, St. John Ambulance
With the warm weather now in full swing, St. John Ambulance would like to encourage all citizens to stay safe this summer. By following a few key rules, we can all enjoy a summer free of injury and illness. While they may sound obvious, here are a few key and important things to remember:
• Use sun block and wear a hat and sunglasses while outside. Please remember you can still get burned even when the sky is cloudy. Sun block should be applied at least 15 minutes before exposure to the sun .
• Stay hydrated by drinking a lot of water; pop has the opposite effect.
• Never leave children unsupervised, especially by water, and never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle for any reason!
• When active, wear appropriate safety gear such as helmets.
• Practice safe food handling; never eat a warm salad and ensure that meat and chicken is thoroughly cooked.
• Check on elderly family members, friends and neighbours on a regular basis.
• Don't speed and practise safe driving habits.
• Always wear a life jacket while boating.
• If you're travelling or hiking, let someone know your route, destination and expected time of arrival.
• Be careful around fires, and watch out for poison ivy and ticks.
• Finally, no matter what you are doing this summer, keep a well-stocked first aid kit handy, and learn the lifesaving skills of first aid and CPR.
For more information about First Aid, CPR and AED training visit www.sja.ca or call your local St. John Ambulance Office. St. John Ambulance is part of one of the world’s oldest humanitarian organizations - the Order of St. John, a worldwide, non-denominational charitable association. St. John celebrated 100 years of service in Manitoba in 2011. As Canada's leader in first aid and CPR training, St. John Ambulance offers the most comprehensive, state-of-the-art training programs available today. Proceeds from our training programs and products go to support our community service programs throughout our region. These programs help to improve our quality of life, including therapy dog visits for seniors and youth, See Spot Read Program for children with autism and reading difficulties, and adult medical first responders providing first aid coverage in our communities.
