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Tulare County Public Health wants you to have the best summer ever this year, and public safety measures can ensure your summer is full of positive memories. Dr. Karen Haught, Tulare County Public Health Officer, reminds residents to be vigilant in supervising children in and around swimming pools, use precautions in the heat of summer, and be aware of fireworks safety during the 4^th of July holiday.

Tips to help keep you safe this summer:

• NEVER leave people or animals in a car in hot weather, even with the windows partway down. Temperatures can easily reach 120° F. and cause heat-related illness or death.
• When you are out at dawn or dusk, wear long pants and long sleeves, in addition to using insect repellent, to prevent mosquito bites, as they can carry West Nile Virus and St. Louis Encephalitis.
• Avoid direct sun, but if you cannot avoid it, wear a head covering and sunscreen.
• When wearing sunscreen, remember to re-apply every few hours.
• If you do not have air conditioning during very hot days, visit your local shopping center or library where you can stay cool.
• Keep curtains closed during the heat of the day to keep your home or apartment cooler.
• Stay hydrated during hot or humid weather. The Institute of Medicine determined that an adequate intake (AI) for men is roughly three liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day. The AI for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) per day. 
• Store food safely during the heat to avoid food poisoning.

Water Safety and Swimming Pools: California’s Swimming Pool Safety Act (Health and Safety Code §§115920-115929) requires at least one approved safety barrier be in place for all pools and spas built after January 1, 1998, and for any pools being remodeled. Property owners should voluntarily install barriers around pools that have been constructed prior to 1998. Also:

• More California toddlers are killed by accidental drowning than by any other kind of accident. If a child is missing, always look first in the pool.
• Never swim alone, always supervise children near the water, and wait a half hour to swim after eating.
• It is recommended that parents, babysitters, guardians, daycare workers, and anyone supervising children should take the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) course annually.
• Wear life jackets. While on a water vessel, children under 13 must wear a life jacket at all times. Have a personal flotation device onboard for each person present.
• Take caution in and around rivers and waterways, as high currents can be dangerous. Don't approach the river’s edge or enter whitewater under any circumstances, and use caution when near open waters.

Independence Day: The safest way to enjoy a fireworks display this 4^th of July holiday is to watch one conducted by professionals. However, if you decide to celebrate, use Safe and Sane fireworks, and be sure to follow these important safety tips:

• Never allow young children to handle fireworks.
• Older children should use fireworks only under close adult supervision.
• Light fireworks outdoors in a clear area, away from flammable materials, grass, houses, and onlookers.
• Light one device at a time; maintain a safe distance after lighting.
• Do not allow any running or horseplay while fireworks are being used.
• No fireworks are allowed in the State Responsibility Area of Tulare County (Foothill and Mountain Areas).
• Only use Safe and Sane fireworks approved by the CA State Fire Marshall.
• Do not try to re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks; soak them with water and discard them safely.
• Keep a bucket of water nearby to fully extinguish fireworks that do not go off or in case of a fire.

For more information on the use of fireworks, visit https://www.nfpa.org/fireworks or https://www.readyforwildfire.org/more/fireworks-safety/.