Tips for a Safe Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial start to summertime and Cell Phone Sally would love to share her tips with all of you on how to keep it as safe as possible, while having fun in the sun with friends and family! You might be traveling to visit family or just staying in town and enjoying a barbeque or swim at the lake. Whatever the case may be, below are some tips to keep this holiday safe and healthy!

Fire Safety

*Remember when using a grill, make sure to clean it and remove grease, grime and dust. Always check for gas leaks as this could be a very dangerous occurrence if it was left on without anyone knowing.

*Always keep uncooked meats away from other foods on the grill to avoid contamination- this will keep down the chances of everyone getting sick for unnecessary reasons.

*If you plan to use a fire pit, make sure you put the fire out completely before leaving it unattended.

Water Safety

*Always swim with a buddy.

*Wear a life vest when boating. It could save your life!

*Children should be supervised at all times while the water or even near the water. It only takes seconds for danger to occur!

For more water safety, check out the Red Cross at http://www2.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/healthtips/safetywater.html

Sun Safety

*Always use sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher to protect you or a child’s skin. Remember to apply it multiply times throughout the day to make sure you are protected from sunburns and UV rays.

*Sunglasses and hats are also highly recommended to protect you from the sun!

*And as always, remember to stay hydrated and drink PLENTY of water while out in the hot sun!

If you follow these safety tips, then your Memorial Day weekend should be great and Cell Phone Sally sure will be proud! But in the event that there is an emergency and you do need help fast, don’t ever hesitate to call 9-1-1! And remember, if someone ingests something poisonous please contact the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222.

Summer Safety Tips and Preparedness for Kids!

School is out for summer and kids are excited for a few months off with fewer responsibilities! While we do want them to have fun during their summertime off, we also want them to be safe and responsible as well as prepared if an emergency occurs. Most children will be partaking in events outside including swimming, playing on the playground or participating in sports. They will also be hanging around the house and getting into things that adults at work might not be aware of and could be unsafe for the child. Whatever they might be doing, we want them to be safe and proactive about safety while still having fun!

Remember 9-1-1 for Emergencies
Remind them to always dial 9-1-1 when there is an emergency occurring. An emergency would mean someone was badly hurt or in danger, including themselves or others. Other times they would need to call 9-1-1 include if they see a fire or a car accident happen. When they do call 9-1-1, they should be prepared to provide the call-taker with as much information as they can such as who, what, when and where the emergency situation is taking place. This way, help will be on the way faster and can be more efficient to the person or persons in need of help. And always remember to stay on the phone with the 9-1-1 call-taker until emergency responders arrive at the scene. That way, the operator can ensure they have all the information they need to get to the emergency as quick as possible!

Supervision and Water Safety
Children need constant supervision around pools and any water environments to protect their safety. They should also always be wearing sunscreen to protect their skin from harmful rays. When it comes to children playing on bicycles, rollerblades or scooters, they should always be wearing a helmet to protect their head. These are just some basic safety guidelines Cell Phone Sally lives by!

Poison Safety
If they think they have come in contact with or ingested something poisonous, they should immediately contact the poison control center hotline number at 1-800-222-1222. It does not take much for a child to get sick as their metabolisms are much faster than adults and whatever they ingest gets into their bloodstream right away. Poison control centers in the United States receive 1.2 million calls each year due to accidental poisonings of children 5 and under. Let’s help prevent these accidents from happening. Tell your kids and other children and adults to memorize the toll-free number in case they ingest something accidently: 1-800-222-1222. For more information on poison control, please visit http://www.aapcc.org/dnn/default.aspx.

For a little fun, below is a link to an old classic Mr. Yuk Commercial!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLsONa3gKIQ

Why False Emergency Calls Affect Everyone

9-1-1 plays a very vital role in helping save lives, but this simple number can often be used for false emergency calls, which leads to clogged phone lines and slower response times for actual emergencies. It is important for the public to realize when to call 9-1-1 and when not to call 9-1-1 so that more lives are saved and response times are quicker.

A false emergency call is when somebody calls 9-1-1 just to ask something or speak about something that is not an emergency. A hoax call is when someone deliberately contacts emergency services and tell them there is an emergency when there really is no actual emergency. Other examples of false emergency calls include children playing unknowingly, hang-ups and calls where people call and just remain silent on the phone. All of these types of phone calls slow down the process of responding to real emergencies. This is why it is so important that we educate children and adults on the responsibilities of dialing 9-1-1.

As a child, you don’t realize how serious playing around with 9-1-1 can potentially be, which is why Cell Phone Sally strives to educate children on the role 9-1-1 plays in society and that playing around with something so sensitive could potentially delay real help for someone else. Emergency services are not something that anyone wants to fool around with and we all must hold it sacred, because it could be what helps us in a time of need one day.

Make a pact with Cell Phone Sally today to help educate at least one adult or child on the importance of 9-1-1! Share these tips and spread the word so we can make emergency services more responsive and productive than ever!

WHEN TO CALL 9-1-1:

·         If there is a fire, a car crash, or a crime in progress

·         If there is a medical emergency such as someone not being able to breathe or move, or is bleeding profusely

WHEN NOT TO CALL 9-1-1:

·         If there is a non-medical emergency like a scraped knee or a stubbed toe

·         For fun: 9-1-1 is not a joke, REMEMBER it is put in place to help save lives!

Check out this short video on our youtube site too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYZMltKCZvY&feature=g-upl