Enjoy summertime fun: Safety First
#OregonClinic
Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy barbecues, campfires, and fireworks. Unfortunately, with all this fun comes some risk: burns are a common cause of injury during the summer months. Here a few safety tips to help bring in the summer festivities with a bang — and without injury.
DID YOU KNOW?
- Fireworks and the fires injure more than 10,000 Americans every year.
- Outside grills cause as many as 6,000 fires and 170 injuries every year.
GENERAL SUMMER SAFETY
- Wear shoes when you walk on sandy beaches, pavement or blacktop, which can heat up quickly.
- Install smoke detectors on every level of your home and test monthly.
- Stop, drop, and roll if your clothing catches fire.
- Store matches and lighters up high, out of children’s reach.
FIREWORKS
- Leave the fireworks to the professionals and attend public displays.
- If using fireworks at home, celebrate safely by following all directions, always having water handy, and never giving fireworks to small children or leaving them unsupervised.
CAMPING
- Never add flammable liquid to a fire that’s already burning.
- Build your fire in a designated fire pit.
- Put out fires or barbecues with water, not just sand.
OUTDOOR GRILLING
- Keep kids away from stoves, barbecues, gas grills, ovens, and other outdoor cooking areas.
- Perform routine maintenance on gas grills to prevent clogs and leaks.
For serious burn injuries, go to an emergency department, call your family physician, or call The Legacy Oregon Burn Center where The Oregon Clinic physicians can provide expert burn care.
Visit www.oregonclinic.com or call 503-935-8000 for more information.
