| Water Safety |
- Never swim alone.
- Closely supervise children at all times, even if they are not in the water.
- Remember your beach access point when calling for help.
- Protect your skin: Sunlight contains two kinds of UV rays -- UVA increases the risk of skin cancer, skin aging, and other skin diseases. UVB causes sunburn and can lead to skin cancer. Limit the amount of direct sunlight you receive between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and wear a sunscreen with a sun protection factor of at least 15.
- Drink plenty of water regularly and often even if you do not feel thirsty. Your body needs water to keep cool.
- Avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine in them. They can make you feel good briefly but make the heat's effects on your body worse. This is especially true with beer, which dehydrates the body.
- Watch for signs of heat stroke: Heat stroke is life-threatening. The person's temperature control system, which produces sweating to cool the body, stops working.
- The body temperature can rise so high that brain damage and death may result if the body is not cooled quickly.
- Signs of heat stroke include –
- Hot, red, and usually dry skin, but in some cases such as during athletic activity while wearing a helmet, the skin may be moist
- Changes in consciousness
- Rapid, weak pulse, and
- Rapid, shallow breathing.
- Call 9-1-1.
- Move the person to a cooler place.
- Quickly cool the body by wrapping wet sheets around the body and fan it. If you have ice packs or cold packs, place them on each of the victim's wrists and ankles, in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels.
- Watch for signals of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear.
- Keep the person lying down.
- Wear eye protection
- Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes and protect against damage that can occur from UV rays.
- Be sure to wear sunglasses with labels that indicate that they absorb at least 90 percent of UV sunlight.
- Wear foot protection. Many times, people's feet can get burned from the sand or cut from glass in the sand.
· Marine life is another hazard you might encounter. While sharks are the most feared marine-animal, they are not the most likely to threaten you on the beach. According to statistics, you have a much better chance of being struck by lightning than being attacked by a shark.
· You are more likely to encounter jellyfish, man-o-wars and stingrays. These creatures are not usually life-threatening unless you are allergic to them or the sting inhibits your ability to swim to safety.
Source: American Red Cross & NFPA
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