By ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA)
Sunshine and warm weather provide plenty of opportunity to get outside and be active. Don’t let an emergency get in the way of your summertime fun. Here are five tips to keep your family safe this summer.
- Window Safety. Opening up windows and letting in a cool breeze is a welcome change in spring but can also increase the risk of falls, especially for small children and pets. Move furniture that kids and pets might climb on away from windows. If you have double-hung windows, open the top and keep the bottom closed. Remember, screens don’t make windows safe; even a small child can fall through a screen.
- Injuries. Summer provides all kinds of opportunities to get outside and be active. Be sure to wear protective gear like helmets when biking, skating or riding a scooter and appropriate pads and guards for sports activities. And don’t forget the sunscreen!
- Severe Storms. As tornado season begins, be sure to identify a safe place to go when there’s a tornado risk. The best options are in the basement or a storm cellar. If you don’t have one of these options, identify an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.
- Water. Swimming and enjoying Michigan’s many natural waterways is a great way to cool off in the summer. Stay safe this summer by swimming with a buddy; don’t allow someone to swim alone. Young children and inexperienced swimmers should always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket around water.
- Heat Waves. Never leave children or pets alone in an enclosed vehicle. In just a few minutes, temperatures can become life threatening!
Unfortunately, no matter how prepared we are, emergencies can happen. Now, a new service, available to Kent County residents, can get you help faster.
Smart911 allows you to create a free online safety profile to assist 911 dispatch. For example, dispatch technology used by 911 systems can sometimes pin cell phone calls to inaccurate locations. However, with a Smart911 profile you can register your cell phone to a specific address. Call-takers will have a precise location for your home along with other key information like home layout, family make-up, pet descriptions, medical information and gas and electrical shutoff locations.
ACSET Community Action Agency (CAA) is dedicated to providing resources to members of our community. We hope you will visit Smart911 to learn more and sign up for this potentially life-saving service!
Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org
