Your Game Plan for Embracing Summer Safety

This time of year is packed with outdoor activities—from road trips and vacations to barbecues and beach or lake days! It’s why the phrase “fun in the sun” is so popular—almost everyone wants to be outside. But as you start filling your calendar with summer plans, make sure you’re preparing for potential safety risks as well.

Here are some of the most common summer safety risks and how you can prevent them:

• Drowning: An estimated 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning every year in the United States.² Drowning is the leading cause of death for children under four years old and people with autism.²

  Prevention: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Almost 40 million adults (15.4%) in the United States do not know how to swim and over half (54.7%) have never taken a swimming lesson.”³ Swimming lessons are an effective way to prevent drowning deaths, especially among children. It’s also helpful to know where flotation devices are located in case of water emergencies at the beach, lake or pool.

• Swimming Pools: Drowning is the most serious risk that many people face at swimming pools, but slips and falls can also lead to injuries or deaths.

  Prevention: Slippery pool decks are a natural result of fun in the water, but you can avoid slips and falls by walking carefully around your pool instead of running. Be sure to remind your guests to avoid diving into the shallow end of the pool, and always make sure children have proper adult supervision while they're enjoying the water.

• Automobile Accidents: Since summer is a popular time for travel and vacations, your odds of being involved in an automobile accident are at their highest during this time of year.

  Prevention: You can lower your risk for wrecks by driving the recommended speed limit and avoiding distractions like texting or talking on your phone. Another important tip is to always wear your seat belt. This concept may seem like common sense, but not everybody follows this law. Before you hit the road, confirm that everyone in your vehicle buckles up. The CDC states that seat belt use is the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in crashes for both adults and older children.

• Heat-Related Illnesses: These can include heat stress, severe dehydration and sunburns.

  Prevention: Staying hydrated, wearing proper clothing, and avoiding prolonged sun exposure are the most effective ways to prevent heat-related illnesses. It's also a good idea to wear sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher is recommended) and reapply it every two hours. You should also familiarize yourself with the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and learn what to do in case of an emergency.

Source: NOAA National Weather Service (weather.gov)

• Bee Stings and Insect Bites: People aren’t the only ones who enjoy warmer weather—bugs do too! This leads to an increase in bee stings, mosquito bites, tick bites, and ant bites during the summer months.

  Prevention: Johns Hopkins Medicine offers a list of recommendations to prevent bug bites, including wearing insect repellent, avoiding brightly colored clothing, and limiting your use of perfumes and scented hair products.

• Food Poisoning: Cookouts are fun, but are you certain that the grilled goodies you're about to enjoy have been cooked properly? The rates of food poisoning increase in summer months because many types of bacteria grow faster in warmer weather. It's no surprise that summertime is sometimes known as the season of food poisoning.

  Prevention: Handwashing and avoiding cross-contamination are two effective ways to prevent foodborne illnesses if you’re the one cooking. If you are a guest, don’t be afraid to ask questions about how the food was prepped and cooked.

Try not to let the possibility of accidents or illnesses deter you from having fun during the summer months this year. As long as you leave room for safety and prevention in your summertime plans, you and your loved ones can still enjoy all the great activities that this time of year has to offer.

Packing a first-aid kit

A readily-available first-aid kit is a great resource to have on hand during emergencies. According to the CDC, 44% of people in the U.S. don't have a first-aid kit.⁴ As a result, many families find themselves unprepared when unexpected incidents occur.

First-aid kit essentials:

• Non-perishable food and drinks
• Essential items like cash, sleeping bags, and shoes
• Power banks and flashlights with extra batteries
• Important documents like ID cards, medical records and insurance policies
• Hygiene products, including a toothbrush and toothpaste
• Over-the-counter medications like pain relievers and antacids
• Adhesive bandages

We recommend viewing the CDC's list of emergency kit essentials and assembling the necessary items before you need them. It's also a good idea to place first-aid kits in multiple places, including your home, your vehicle, and your workplace.

You may be surprised to learn that some of your employer-provided benefits can provide support to help protect your health and your finances when emergencies happen.

Here are some of the ways voluntary benefits can help when the unexpected happens:

Scenario: Your son slips while running around the pool and breaks his arm.
Accident Insurance: Covers costs associated with unexpected injuries, including ER visits, X-rays, ambulance rides, and follow-up care.

Scenario: You go on a camping trip with some friends, but you end up being hospitalized for heat stroke and dehydration.
Hospital Indemnity Insurance: Pays a cash benefit when you are admitted to a hospital for any reason.

Scenario: Your family is traveling to your favorite summer destination, but you get into a car accident and your spouse suffers a heart attack.
Critical Illness Insurance: Helps with out-of-pocket costs if you or your loved ones are diagnosed with a serious condition such as a heart attack or stroke.

Scenario: You experience a severe case of food poisoning during a cookout and will have to miss several weeks of work to recover.
Short Term Disability Insurance: Helps replace your lost income if an accident or illness keeps you out of work.

Summer should be a time for fun, relaxation and making memories, but it can also be a dangerous time of the year if you don't take the necessary precautions. Understanding summer safety risks and how to respond to them can turn a potential emergency into a manageable moment. With a bit of planning and foresight, your next summer outing can be both fun and safe for everyone involved.

If you’d like to explore how our voluntary benefits can provide added peace of mind during life’s unexpected moments, please contact a sales representative.