SUN SAFETY Did you know that those most at risk for heat illness are young children and the elderly? When the Mercury starts rising into the high 90’s, here are some things you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones from dehydration, sunburn and heatstroke:

• Know -- and be alert for symptoms of heat illness: fainting, dizziness, headache, nausea, rapid pulse, flushed skin, and body temperature of 104 degrees.
• Anyone suffering from a heat illness should rest in a cool, shaded area, and sip chilled water or fruit juice.
• To avoid becoming dehydrated when sitting or working in the sun, replenish with fluids often and avoid beverages with alcohol or caffeine. Keep your skin moist and cool.
• Wear loose-fitting clothing, a hat, and waterproof sunscreen.
• If you take prescription medication, check with your doctor before being in the sun for long periods of time.

LIGHTNING There are a number of survivors who will tell you that lightning does, in fact, strike twice. (Lightning strikes are fatal less than a third of the time.) These same survivors will advise that you do everything in your power to avoid being struck by heaven’s fiery bolts in the first place. You don’t have to become paranoid about lightning, just cautious of a formidable adversary... At the first sign of a thunderstorm, don’t go near the water, or get out if you’re swimming. Don’t lie down on wet ground. Don’t’ go near tall or metal objects such as flagpoles, fences, and trees. If you’re on the golf course, seek cover at once. If you’re inside, stay away from electrical appliances and don’t use the telephone during an electrical storm as they are good conductors of electricity. Don’t watch storms from an open window or door in your home, and remember that lightning has been known to hit chimneys as well as tall trees near the house.

WATER SAFETY

Unfortunately, more than 300 children under the age of 5 drown in residential swimming pools each year in this country. Drowning is the third leading cause of accidental death of children age 14 and under. Each year nearly 1200 children drown and another 5000 are hospitalized due to near drowning. Most of these accidents could be avoided. The American College of Emergency Physicians recommends:
 

• Always swim with a buddy, never alone.
• Know how to swim, teach young children.
• Make sure the pool or body of water is deep enough before diving in.
• If you can’t swim or you are around water or in a boat, always wear a lifevest.
• Know CPR.
• Fence all home pools.
• Don’t mix alcohol and water sports -- ever.
• Don’t leave any children unsupervised when they are around water -- that includes the bath tub.
• When going out on the water in boats and watercraft, know the distress signals and how to call for help. Always tell someone where you are going when boating, and when you expect to return.
• If you are vacationing near the shore, find out about tidal conditions. Avoid any "posted" beach areas that are not supervised by lifeguards, and watch out for "riptides." An encounter with stinging water creatures like jellyfish that can really ruin your trip. Know what to do -- or where to get help -- if you "find" one unexpectedly.

CAMPING / TRAVEL AWAY  FROM HOME Each year in this country approximately 10,000 people die from food poisoning. The danger for this to occur increases when food may be improperly stored or prepared while camping or on picnics. In most cases, using common sense will help you avoid accidents and illness while on vacation.

• Pack a first aid kit to "fit" your vacation destination. Include remedies for sunburn, insect bites, cuts and scrapes. Your camping survival kit should include a compass, map, flashlight, knife, waterproof firestarter, as well as sun and insect protection.
• Refill any prescription medications and carry them with you in the original marked container(s). Carry important medical information with you, as well (names and phone numbers of your physicians, pharmacist, insurance ID cards, etc.).
• Be especially cautious on camping adventures: when exploring strange places in the "wild," when building fires, and when using sharp implements to chop wood, for example. And, they really mean it when they say "Don’t feed the bears..."
• Pack the appropriate clothing for your destination, but always carry a light jacket or sweater for warm weather destinations (and lighter weight clothing for cold weather locations) because even professional weathercasters don’t always get it right. Even in tropical paradises, temperatures can change dramatically and unseasonably without warning.
• When planning for overseas travel, make sure you have all the necessary immunizations and know of any water quality hazards. Check with your physician about medication refills if you plan to be gone for an extended period of time, and ask how to replace medication if it should become lost during your trip.

FIREWORKS Each year, hundreds of people are injured while handling fireworks, and unfortunately, many of those hurt are children. Again, common sense should prevail. Better yet, attend a public fireworks display and leave the pyrotechnics to the professionals...

• Never place an explosive in a container; it could explode and spray dangerous fragments into the eyes and face.
• Don’t ignite fireworks near areas with dry grass or leaves. Far too many accidental fires are started in residential neighborhoods when lighted flying objects like "bottle rockers" land on rooftops.
• Never allow young children to use fireworks without close adult supervision. Anyone igniting fireworks should wear safety goggles.
• Read the labels and follow the directions carefully. Make sure the fireworks contain less than 50 mg. of gunpowder. Any more than this amount is illegal and may be dangerous.
• Allow all fireworks "debris" to cool thoroughly and safely remove it from driveways and streets. Some fireworks leave sharp objects behind after they have been ignited which can damage car tires.
• Make sure anyone going near your fireworks wears shoes. After dark, it is difficult to see hidden debris (like sparklers) that can be especially painful -- and a good source of potential infection -- if stepped on.

Every year, people are involved in traffic accidents while biking, in-line skating, running and speed walking. Ninety percent of bicycle injuries for children ages 14 and under are the result of car collisions. Four out of five deaths result from head injuries. In more than 50 percent of the collisions with cars, the car driver claimed that he or she could not see the cyclist. It is estimated that at least 83,000 in-line skating injuries will be treated in emergency departments this year alone. The first safety tip for enjoying these outdoor activities is to know the "rules" of the road and to wear proper protection and equipment.

• Make sure that your child’s bike is the right size for him or her, and that the youngster always wears a properly fitting helmet when riding.
• Young children should use bikes with coaster brakes, and should also have lights, reflectors, day-glo safety flags, etc. in case they are out after dark.
• Walk bikes across busy intersections, observe all traffic signals, and know and use hand signals.
• Don’t rollerblade alone and always wear a helmet and knee and elbow pads. Don’t wear anything that restricts your hearing or vision. Skating to music might be nice in a rink, but loud music in your ears can keep you from hearing a warning or the siren of an emergency vehicle.
• Don’t try to skate down steep hills or in drainage ditches. And don’t try tricks beyond your ability. 

Cypress Creek Emergency Medical Services -- CCEMS -- was founded in 1975 to provide top quality, dependable, 24-hour emergency medical services for residents living in the unincorporated FM 1960 of Houston, Texas. CCEMS responds to 9-1-1 medical emergency calls in a 250 square mile area of north Harris County, and serves a population of over 450,000 people. Over the last 24 years, CCEMS teams have responded to more than100,000 calls.

Today, CCEMS has 7 stations and 9 fully-equipped Mobile Intensive Care Units licensed by the state of Texas. CCEMS responds to an average of 1100 calls per month -- double the response pattern of five years ago.

Including 9-1-1 dispatch time, callers wait an average of only 6 minutes 50 seconds for the ambulance to arrive. CCEMS First Responders, trained volunteers located throughout the community, dispatched at the same time as the ambulance, often arrive on the scene within five minutes to begin providing expert emergency care.

CCEMS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit volunteer based organization that relies on contributions from area residents, businesses and civic organization for funding, supplemented by Third Party Billing for service calls in which emergency services and transport are provided.