Top 5 Summer Safety Tips to Stay Safe While Enjoying Sun

While summer brings warm weather and lively activities, there are still many seasonal dangers that arise as temperatures increase. Whether you are packing for a day at the beach or soaking in the sun while exercising outdoors, make sure you are also taking into account how you can keep yourself and everyone around you safe. For example, staying hydrated or carrying the Silent Beacon wearable panic button with you throughout the summer are necessary provisions that will guarantee a great and safe summer. Here are our top summer safety tips:

1. Wear Sunscreen and Protective Clothing

Wearing sunscreen is the most important safety precaution you can take to protect your skin in the summer season. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15. And apply it 20-30 minutes before sun exposure. You should also reapply the sunscreen every two hours, or any time after you get out of water or sweat heavily.

Don’t go searching through the backs of your bins and drawers for the sunscreen from last summer, since sunscreen loses its potency after 1-2 years. It is best to repurchase sunscreen before every summer season for the most effective protection.

In addition to sunscreen, protective clothing can act as another barrier to sun exposure. Wide-brimmed hats will protect your face and head from the sun. And loosely-fitted long sleeve tops will cover your arms without making you hot and sweaty. Your eyes are also extremely sensitive to the sun, so wear sunglasses with UV protection.

2. Carry A Personal Safety Device

There are many risks and dangers present in our everyday summer activities. High temperatures can quickly sneak up on you with heat-related illnesses. The pool activities pose great dangers to swimmers, both experienced and inexperienced. The Silent Beacon personal safety device can help you in any emergency situation that arises.  

Different emergencies require different responses. Silent Beacon allows you to customize who you call for help, whether that’s 911, emergency services, a family member or friend, or even phone numbers overseas while also sending them your live GPS location via text, email and/or push-notification. The Silent Beacon can be attached to your clothing or bag, and its water-resistant design is suitable for pool and beach emergencies. You can also activate the two-way communication feature, which allows you to talk to friends and family while you wait for help to arrive. Carrying a Silent Beacon is an added safety precaution everyone should consider essential in the summer season.

3. Wear Bug/Tick Repellent

Mosquitoes and other bugs can be huge pests during the summer, and they can also pose dangerous health risks. Mosquitoes can carry diseases like Zika and West Nile virus, and ticks can transmit Lyme disease. Ticks are very small and hard to spot, often mistaken as a freckle or speck of dirt. After engaging in any outdoor activities. Check yourself for ticks and have someone else check parts of your body you can’t see well, like the back of your head. In case you don’t spot the tick right away, symptoms of Lyme disease include a rash in a bulls-eye pattern, fever, headache, and fatigue. The disease can be treated with antibiotics but can spread to your joints, heart, and nervous system if not treated early. 

Wearing an effective bug and tick repellent will prevent these insects from biting you. Therefore decreasing your chances of contracting a disease related to mosquito and tick bites. Repellents with the active ingredient DEET are proven to be both safe and effective, so make sure you read the ingredients carefully to ensure you’re taking the proper precautions.

4. Stay Hydrated

In the excitement of summer fun, it’s easy to forget to drink water. But staying hydrated is one of the most important heat wave safety tips or summer safety tips you can follow to stay safe this summer. Take water breaks every 20 minutes while outdoors, even if you don’t feel thirsty. It is recommended to always carry a water bottle or cooler with you to stay hydrated and feel refreshed from the summer heat. A lack of hydration increases your chances of suffering from a heat-related illness, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion can occur as a result of your body overheating, leading to symptoms such as excessive sweating, dizziness, and/or a rapid pulse. A heat stroke happens when your body temperature is greater than 104°F, causing a throbbing headache, vomiting, and/or loss of consciousness. Unlike heat exhaustion, someone suffering from a heat stroke will not sweat at all. If you think you or someone around you is experiencing a heat stroke, use your Silent Beacon to call 911 for help immediately. Move to a cool location while you wait for emergency services to arrive.

5. Be Vigilant in the Water

Water activities may be among one of the most fun summer activities, but can also be the most dangerous. Make sure that your swimming capabilities are compatible with the body of water you’re planning to swim in. Swimming in a pool is easier than swimming in an ocean or river with heavy current or riptides. If you get stuck in a current, do not try to swim against it. Instead, float with the current or swim parallel to the shore until you can swim free. You can also wave your arms and shout to get help from a lifeguard.

Avoid all dangerous behaviors while swimming. Do not push or jump on other people swimming, as you may not know what their swimming level is. Do not dive or jump from cliffs or other high points in unfamiliar areas. Because you do not know how deep the water is or if there are rocks underneath the surface. Additionally, never drink alcohol while swimming.

There are also many precautions to take with swimming children. Remember, the younger the child, the greater the risk. Never leave a child alone in the water, no matter how well you think they can swim. If you have to leave, take your child with you. While there are lifeguards to serve as an additional pair of eyes, you should always be watching your child. Keeping track of where they are and what they are doing.  

Wear sunscreen, protective clothing, and bug repellent to block UV rays and keep bugs away, and attach Silent Beacon to your shirt or beach bag. Staying hydrated and remaining vigilant in the water will ensure your outdoor activities go smoothly. Summer is the time to enjoy awesome weather and fun activities with friends and family, but remember to keep these Summer Safety tips in mind.