Warm Weather Outdoor Safety Tips
For many, summer means a lot of time spent outdoors. From hiking, to the beach, to camping trips, summer is full of great outside activities. Don’t let the heat put a damper on your fun. Make sure your summer is the best possible by following a few of our outdoor summer safety tips.
Outdoor Tips
Sun Protection
Perhaps the most important outdoor rule of summer is, don’t forget your sunscreen. Protect your skin at all times. Choose a sunscreen that is broad spectrum which means it will block both UVB and UVA rays. Be sure to wear sunscreen even on cloudy days as the sun will still affect you. For extra protection wear a hat to protect your scalp.
Food Safety
Picnics and cook outs are definitely a part of summer. It’s important to keep your food safe to be consumed during these events. If you are traveling with food be sure to put it in a cooler. Fill your cooler full of ice and never keep raw meat in the same cooler with other food items. Try not to open your cooler a lot and keep it in a refrigerated car during trips. Do not eat any perishable food that has been outside for longer than 2 hours, if it is 90 degrees or hotter than no longer than 1 hour. If you do, you run the risk of getting a food borne illness.
Watch out for Thunderstorms
Heat and humidity can create some pretty gnarly thunderstorms in the summer. Sometimes these storms can come on without warning. Be aware of any storm clouds in the sky. Should you have any indication that a bad storm is approaching, seek shelter immediately.
If you get caught outside and there is bad lightening stay away from tall trees and metal objects.
Hydrate
Water, water, water. If you are outside during the heat it’s important to stay hydrated. Drink water every 20 minutes. Staying hydrated will keep you protected from heat exhaustion. Make sure to keep children drinking as well.
Bug Proof Yourself
With all of the bugs out during the warm weather, it’s always a good idea to keep bug spray on hand. Protect yourself by using bug spray that has DEET. DEET keeps ticks away, which carry some nasty diseases. Bug spray is safe to use on children ages two and older.
ServiceMaster wishes you a wonderful, safe summer! Remember should you need professional water and fire mitigation services we are available year round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call us today at (704) 324-8528.
