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Medical Health Encyclopedia
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Safety

From Healthscout's partner site on diet & exercise, MyDietExercise.com
QUIZ: What's your ideal body weight?QUIZ: Check your body mass index (BMI) online!QUIZ: Rate your carbohydrate intake

WATER SAFETY

  • Learn CPR.
  • Teach your children to swim.
  • Never leave young children unattended, even for a minute, in a bathtub, swimming pool, lake, ocean, or stream.
  • Fence all home pools and keep the gate closed and locked.
  • Always wear life preservers when boating, even if you can swim.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol when swimming or boating.
  • Never swim alone.
  • Never dive into water unless you know beforehand how deep it is.
  • Know your limits. Do not over-exert yourself.
  • Avoid standing on wet surfaces or being in water during a lightening storm.
  • Stay out of strong currents.
  • Do not overload your boat. If your boat turns over, stay with the boat until help arrives.

CAMPING AND HIKING SAFETY

  • Always bring a first aid kit when camping. Know how to use it.
  • Use the buddy-system. Never camp or hike alone. If you were to break a leg or fall and get stuck, a partner could go for help.
  • Make sure someone knows where you plan to camp or hike.
  • Be careful when exploring. Take a compass and map. Remember landmarks.
  • Take whistles in case you get lost or run into trouble. Whistles can be heard further than your voice will carry.
  • Be careful when chopping wood or building fires.
  • Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to avoid bites from ticks and other insects. In cold conditions, wear many layers of thin clothing, along with a hat, boots and gloves.
  • Take a supply of clean drinking water and drink it. People can become dehydrated very quickly in warm, dry, or windy conditions. Dehydration can lead to other serious complications.
  • Don't drink stream or lake water.
  • Avoid drinking alcohol. It tends to cause dehydration.
  • Don't provoke, touch, or get close to wild animals.
  • Don't eat wild berries and plants.
  • Don't over-exert yourself when hiking.
  • Never leave a campfire unattended.
  • Before leaving a campsite to return home, make sure all fires are out and the ashes are cold. A single burning ember in a seemingly smothered fire is enough to initiate a full-blown fire.
SUN PROTECTION
  • When outside on a warm, sunny day, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, a water-proof sunscreen, and loose-fitting, light-colored clothing.
  • Sun protection is especially important between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
  • Drink plenty of water, but avoid drinking alcohol on hot, humid days when you are outside. Alcohol can cause dehydration.
  • If you become overheated, sit in the shade, drink plenty of water, and try to keep your skin cool and moist.
  • Keep very young children's skin from being exposed to the sun.
  • Never leave children or pets unattended in a car in the sun -- even for a few minutes.
  • Wear appropriate sunscreens -- a sunscreen rating of 15 should give adequate protection for most people.
  • Remember, there is no such thing as a healthy suntan.
BURGLARY PREVENTION
  • Avoid unnecessary display or talk about your valuables.
  • Avoid hiding a house key under the doormat or nearby vicinity.
  • Teach your family to leave the house undisturbed and call the police if they discover a burglary has been committed.
  • Trim trees and shrubs to eliminate hiding places.
  • Consider a security closet with a solid core door and a dead-bolt lock.
  • Keep emergency telephone numbers listed on your phone.
  • Install lights around the perimeter of your home.
  • Lock up your ladder.
Doors and entry areas:
  • Outside doors should be solid core construction.
  • Entry doors should have a wide-angle viewer.
  • Exterior doors should have cylinder-type dead-bolt locks.
  • Doors without cylinder locks should have a heavy bolt or some similar secure device that can be operated only from the inside.
  • Sliding doors should have a lock that locks both the door panels together or the active side to the frame.
  • The garage door and basement door should be secured with a lock.
  • Lock your garage door at night and when you are away from home.
Windows:
  • All windows should be equipped with locks or be pinned.
  • Keep your windows locked when they are shut.
  • Put secure locks on garage windows.
  • Cover garage windows with curtains.
When you go on vacation:
  • Arrange for friends or neighbors to pick up newspapers and mail.
  • Notify a neighbor you'll be gone.
  • Arrange to keep your lawn maintained.
  • Arrange to have your snow shoveled.
  • Use timing devices for your lights and radio.
Text Continues Below



References:
Dowd MD. Epidemiology and prevention of childhood injuries. Crit Care Med. 2002; 30(11 Suppl): S385-392.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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