Beech Tree News Network

Although summer break is coming to an end, summer weather—and hazards—will continue. However, there are a few things you can do to help keep your family safe, happy, and healthy for the rest of the season, especially while enjoying the great outdoors.

Some of the basic steps you can take to ensure your family has the best coverage this summer are as simple as applying sunscreen and bug spray.  The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15 in order to help protect from harmful rays that cause skin cancer. Make sure that you stay hydrated and seek help immediately if you or a family member are showing symptoms of heat-related illness.
 
There are also numerous ways to prevent injuries. According to the CDC, emergency departments across the U.S. treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries. Additionally, summer sports and water-related activities can cause injury, but there are many preventative measures you can take—some as simple as giving your children swimming lessons—to help prevent summer accidents.

And there are ways to safely avoid heat-related injuries or deaths. This year, the Kentucky General Assembly passed a law, referred to as the “look before you lock,” law, that offers civil protection to citizens who enter a locked car in order to save a child that is in immediate danger from the heat.

Keep the bugs off by applying bug spray and taking other preventative measures to deter pests.  Zika,  West Nile virus, and Lyme disease are all transmitted by insects. According to the Lyme Disease Association (LDA), Lyme disease can manifest itself in children with symptoms like fatigue, nausea, decreased cognitive function, flu-like symptoms, and decreased stamina and a decreased ability to perform everyday tasks like schoolwork and playing. If diagnosed properly, the LDA says the disease can be treated.
 
If you have any questions about summer safety, a good place to start is your local health department.

If you have any questions or comments about the issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at [email protected].  You can also review the Legislature’s work online at www.lrc.ky.gov.

 
Senator C.B. Embry, JR (R-Morgantown) represents the 6th District including Butler, Hopkins, Muhlenberg, and Ohio Counties. He is Vice Chair of Veterans, Military Affairs, & Public Protection, and member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, Agriculture Committee, Natural Resources and Energy Committee, and Transportation Committee.