Summer Safety

5/26/2021 (Permalink)

SERVPRO is “Ready for whatever happens.”

You Can Be Too This Summer

Each year, families and friends across the country enjoy the summer months with barbecues, camping trips, or by cooling off in a pool or lake.  To enjoy these occasions, it is important to keep safety top of mind to ensure you have fun in the sun.

According to a recent study by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, fireworks were involved with an estimated 10,000 injuries treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments during calendar year 2019. Another 19,700 are injured by charcoal/wood-burning and propane grill fires.  A grill should always be supervised when in use.  Keep children and pets a safe distance from the grilling area to prevent accidental burns or tipping of the grill.

Grills also cause an average of 10,600 home structure or outdoor fires.  “These fires caused an annual average of 170 civilian injuries and $149 million in direct property damage,” according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

If you enjoy lounging by the pool or going for a boat ride to cool off from the summer sun, make sure you exercise caution, especially when children are present.  Only swim in the approved areas and always supervise children when near the water.

The summer season should be a time to make memories and enjoy the great outdoors.  Do not become a statistic.  Take precautions to prevent these events from putting a damper on your summer months.

Celebrate summer safety and consider the following tips, provided by the Nation Fire Protection Association, to keep you and your family safe all summer long.

• When using a charcoal grill, only use starter fluids designed for barbecue grills; do not add fluid after the coals have been lit.
• When using a gas grill, ensure the hose connection is tight, check hoses for leaks. Applying soapy water to the hoses will easily and safely reveal any leaks.
• When camping, always use a flame-retardant tent and set up camp far away from the campfire.
• Always build a campfire downwind from the tent area. Clear vegetation and dig a pit before building your fire.  Extinguish the fire before going to sleep or leaving the campsite.
• Store liquid fire starter (not gasoline) away from your tent and campfire and only use dry kindling to freshen a campfire.

Your local SERVPRO Franchise Professionals wish you a safe and happy summer!