Summer has arrived and school is almost out. Prime vacation and family time are right around the corner! This summer, we encourage you and your family to keep safety top of mind, wherever you go. June is National Safety Month, and now is the perfect time to understand the threats we face every day, what we can do to prevent injuries, and how we can prepare for emergencies.
Emergency Preparedness
Emergencies can happen at any minute; whether they are brought on by Mother Nature or outside forces. It’s crucial for your family to learn how to prepare for the unexpected.
The first step? Always have a plan! Sit down with your family and discuss meeting points. Familiarize family members with emergency contacts, outside family members, and the numbers for 9-1-1 and poison control. Teach your family basic first aid skills and CPR (on both children and adults). Jenkintown offers educational classes for you and your family to learn these life-saving skills.
At School:
If your child attends daycare or school, make sure they are aware of what to do in an emergency situation; from a fire drill to an active shooter. Acknowledge that your children are taking these drills seriously and understand the steps needed to potentially save their life.
At Home:
Inside your house, you should have a family emergency kit. Emergency Kits are boxes or containers that have the necessary supplies to protect you and your family in an emergency.
- First and foremost, your emergency kit should be accessible to everyone in your family and not hidden away in the back of a closet. In the case of an emergency, it should be easy to find.
- Your kit should contain food and water for each family member for at least three days.
- Make sure that the food is nonperishable (such as peanut butter, granola bars, pasta & pasta sauce, packages of oatmeal, tuna, trail mix.)
- Flashlights (either solar powered,hand-crankedd or be sure to include extra batteries)
- First Aid Kit (with hand sanitizer, garbage bags, duct tape)
Wellness
With school almost out, now is a great time to focus on the overall wellness of yourself and your family. Try some of these tricks to switch up your everyday routine and get your family feeling their best!
- Eat Healthy! When grocery shopping or meal planning for the week, try to avoid buying sugary snacks. If they aren’t in the house, you and your family will be less inclined to indulge in them. If you need some ideas, check out our National Nutrition Month article.
- Get active! Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Go on afternoon nature walks with your family, and plan some fun indoor and outdoor activities!
- Encourage Your Children to Pay Attention to Their Bodies! If your kids are feeling fatigue or pain, encourage them to pay attention to it. Talk to your Pediatric Care Group pediatrician about the causes of these feelings and what you can do to get back to being healthy.
Car Safety
The majority of accidents caused on the road are 100% preventable. A large portion of accidents can be avoided by following the proper safety precautions. We’ve put together some tips to keep you and your family safe in the car.
- Avoid Distracted Driving. Driving without the distraction of cell phones or GPS systems is essential for being safe on the road.
- Seatbelts everyone! Make sure that everyone is wearing the proper restraints; if you are unsure about what type of car seat your child should be in, consult your Pediatric Care Group pediatrician and check out our Car Seat Safety article for more guidance.
- Be Prepared. Just as you created an emergency kit for your home, it’s smart to create one for your car as well.
National Safety Month is the perfect time to sit down with your family and talk about emergent situations and what to do if anyone in your family happens to find themselves in an emergency.