Tag Archives: emergencies

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS IN THE WORKPLACE (GUEST POST)

We never know what the future will hold!  This is why it’s important to prepare for emergencies by storing food and water, not only in your home, but in the workplace as well. Employers should have an emergency and disaster plan in place to ensure that their employees will be protected should an unexpected event occur. If your workplace doesn’t have a plan, it’s important to suggest that they create one or contact your local Emergency Management Office to get the ball rolling.

Contact with Loved Ones

The most frustrating thing that can happen during an emergency situation is to lose contact with your loved ones. To avoid this, all employees should have a predetermined communication plan ready to go. For example, setting up a land line for your home and obtaining phone numbers for company and school landlines gives you additional options for communication should cell towers go down. It’s important to think of every possibility and establish an emergency communication plan that everyone knows.

Food Storage

Help establish a plan of action in the workplace by talking to your employer. Many companies have caught on to this and have created storage spaces for emergency food and supplies. This ensures that their employees would have access to the resources they’d need for at least a couple of days until help could arrive. High quality food storage items are available at reasonable prices online and in stores. You can find products for bulk sized a-la-carte items as well as  meal kits and food staples. These will typically come with shelf lives in the double digits to ensure quality, value and dependability when you need them most.

Communication with Local Authorities

When people in a large area are in an emergency situation, 9-1-1 emergency dispatch can be over-worked and unresponsive. Make a list of the numbers you would need to call in an emergency and keep it posted where every employee can access it easily. Examples of important numbers to list are as follows: Local police stations, state police stations, local offices of Homeland Protection, local National Guard offices, local relatives and friends, out-of-state relatives and friends, American Red Cross, and state and local emergency management offices.

First-Aid

Keeping a fully stocked and easy to use first-aid kit is vital when preparing an emergency plan. This can help you manage any injuries quickly and potentially keep them at bay should additional help be delayed. Providing basic first-aid and CPR training will also be an important aspect of fully preparing your office for first-aid in an emergency situation.

Getting Started

It’s estimated that 80% of adults work for a small company, and most small companies don’t have an emergency plan in place. It’s important for you to talk to someone in the workplace about setting a plan. Start working on emergency preparedness goals and long-term food and water storage. Take one step at a time and determine what you need to make and meet these goals. Set your priorities so you can accomplish each goal. It’s also a good idea to have an office meeting to go over important goals, numbers, and plans in case of an emergency or disaster.

To help you get started on the process of building an effective emergency plan for your workplace, we’ve provided a list of specific questions you should ask yourself to get fully prepared. Follow the list below and get started today!

  1. Do you have a safe source of light in the event of power failure?
  2. How will you communicate and get news if phone lines are not working?
  3. Do you have enough water and food stored for each person in the work place for at least 72 hours?
  4. Do you have a first aid kit and has anyone in the office been trained in first aid and CPR?
  5. What will you do if you cannot flush the toilet or wash if you have no running water? 

About Augason Farms

For more than 40 years, Augason Farms has provided quality food storage and emergency supplies to home and business owners throughout the U.S. Our high quality kits and a-la-carte items provide our customers with easy and affordable solutions for starting an emergency food storage supply.

We thank our guest author for this very informative article, which should give us all “food for thought” about an unforeseen emergency while we are at work! pb

 

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM ALONE (GUEST POST)

Why You Should Never Go to the Emergency Room Alone

A trip to the emergency room is rarely a fun experience. It can be traumatic in many instances. It is never a good idea to go to the emergency room alone when the emergency is life threatening or could escalate quickly. Medical professionals are usually very proficient in determining who should be informed of the emergency, but things can happen before a patient’s family can be notified and medical professionals are often dealing with unknown conditions.

Malpractice Can Occur Quickly 

Malpractice often occurs when a treatment professional is not aware of certain existing conditions. Conditions, such as, the patient taking prescription medications like Pradaxa, an anticoagulant that has no anecdote. Therefore, depending on the emergency, if the care needed is invasive then the patient could bleed out with no way of stopping it. The emergency room doctor may have no way of knowing this information and proceed in their efforts to save the patient’s life with no malicious intent to cause harm. Lack of malicious intent is not always acceptable in a malpractice claim, but can be a point of contention in defense when proving the difference between a “bad outcome” and “deviation”. An attorney at Bottar Leone, a medical malpractice lawyer in Syracuse NY, explains the difference as follows: “a health care provider must deviate from the standard of care. This means that the provider must fail to do what a reasonable doctor or nurse would have done under similar circumstances. In addition, that deviation must cause harm. A ‘bad outcome’ does not, in-and-of-itself, give rise to liability for professional negligence. Therefore, if the patient is incoherent and cannot provide answers to the standard questions normally asked before administering care then, designated individuals should be present. They should have up-to-date information about the patient’s medical history and a current list of prescription medications to assist with patient care decisions to help avoid malpractice.

Who Should Be Present 

The primary relative or individual’s spouse should be present at the emergency room because they are the most impacted individual. In traumatic situations, these individuals may need some additional support also, as decisions must be made quickly in many emergency room situations. Designating a conditional power of attorney to a trusted individual is a good idea in many cases. It is a good practice to establish this temporary power of attorney as a part of estate planning in case of emergency incapacity. In most states, this is automatically transferred to the spouse of any married patient, but can include children as well. It is important to note that a power of attorney is normally only appointed to an adult. The designation allows the appointed person to make decisions in the stead of the incapacitated party and ends when the patient becomes cognizant.

Alternate Attendants

If the primary emergency contact cannot be reached immediately, then the most trusted individual available should go to the emergency room also. They may be necessary for information and observance. Medications are regularly dispensed in the emergency room and information on allergies and medical conditions, such as diabetes or hemophilia, could be needed. It is very important for the actual decision makers to arrive as soon as possible, but a substitute is also very important until that time.

Draw Up a Living Will Beforehand

It is always a good practice to either file an active documented living will or explain your wishes to someone in the case of needed life support. Some religions actually prevent this treatment necessity, but the duty of the medical professional is to keep the patient alive. All other decisions are family decisions, or at least a duly-appointed representative. The medical facility will ask for a living will designation in emergency situations requiring life support. Normally, individuals do not have a living will in place when an emergency arises and instructions in care are sometimes necessary from a valid third-party representative. Temporary life support is used regularly in situations where the patient has a good prognosis for recovery. It is a very serious decision and is not always a permanent result of the emergency condition.

It is a fact of life that an emergency is exactly what it is called. It is an emergency, and optimum conditions rarely apply. A small amount of prevention can be worth a large amount of cure if the individual is prepared to expect the unexpected. Always communicate to the appropriate party what your wishes are in case of incapacity and include the desire of a representative or witness in case of a visit to the emergency room. Never go to the emergency room alone.

Kelly Dennie is a freelance writer with aging out-of-state in-laws, one of which suffered a stroke and was alone in the emergency room with no one to watch over his care. These symptoms could suggest a heart attack or stroke; yet, were overlooked and ignored by busy emergency room doctors deviating from normal practices creating grounds for malpractice.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

PREPARING YOUR CHILD FOR DISASTER (GUEST POST)

Sent to us by Nancy Parker.  Her bio follows this article. pb

There are many different kinds of disasters and they are always out of human control. As an adult you know how to prepare and what to do during a disaster, but what about the children? Some adults neglect to teach their child what to do base on the fact it could ‘never happen’ to them. Before it’s too late, here are ways to help you prepare your child for a disaster:

Educate: It is always good to keep your child informed of possible and potential disasters. Now this doesn’t mean that you educate them to the point where they live in fear but that they understand the potential disaster. When teaching them about disasters, keep the conversation upbeat and positive by stating that there is a solution to the disaster. Keep the conversations short, allow for questions and answer honestly.

Prepare:Always be prepared, that is the best advice for a disaster. Get the supplies that you need to help yourself during a disaster. For example if it’s preparing for bad weather, gather the tools you need like candles, emergency radios, food, water, and a first aid kit.  Teach your child what is needed in certain disasters so that they know what is available for them, if ever needed.

Plan:You should always have an emergency plan for you and your child for any dangerous situation. Teach them the first they should do for different disasters. Write out a simple and easy list that they can read. Typically that emergency plan should start with “listen to an adult’s advice and/or call 911”.

Practice:Once you have purchased the correct safety tools and figured out the right plan, practice. Practicing with your child what to do during a disaster will help them if the time comes. Explain during the practice the procedures that they need to take and why. Practice this emergency plan every few months.

Reaction: The most important advice that regency officials can give people during a disaster is to remain calm. Teach your child to remain calm during emergencies. You can do this by leading by example, if you remain calm you child is more likely to remain calm. Disasters have the potential to be worse if there is fear and panic to cause confusion and difficulty.

Disasters can’t be avoided but they can be lessened the more you are prepared and ready for one. Teaching your child this will help you and them in any future events. Remember above anything else, remain calm and work with them on the emergency plan.

 Author Bio

Nancy Parker was a professional full time nanny and she loves to write about wide range of subjects like health, Parenting, Child Care, Babysitting, nanny background check tips etc. You can reach her @ nancy.parker015 @ gmail.com

General Safety Issues

HOW AND WHEN YOU SHOULD TEST YOUR EMERGENCY LIGHTS (GUEST POST)

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Areas of work, occupancy buildings and public sites are all required by law to provide an adequate escape route out of a building in times of emergency. These exit routes must not only be readily accessible but they must also be clearly illuminated by emergency lighting in the event of a power failure.

Emergency lights are required to correctly light up an evacuation route to enable all occupants to safely leave a building in times of an emergency and can be required for a duration of up to three hours or longer. Regular maintenance and testing therefore is required to ensure that all emergency lighting systems are functioning correctly. In the UK these requirements are covered by the Regulatory Reform Order and British Standard Codes such as BS 5266. The British Standard BS 5266 for example recommends that emergency lighting systems are serviced regularly.

To test any emergency lighting system, a power failure or power cut will need to be simulated, which then forced the emergency lighting and luminaires to be switched on.

It is also a good idea to keep replacement lamp bulbs, spares and legends, which can be immediately installed if required.

Manual Testing

Many emergency lights will have to be manually checked, particularly on old and legacy emergency lighting systems, although some more modern systems are now capable of automatic testing.  To manually test an individual light or circuit a test or ‘fishtail’ key is used to simulate an isolated local power failure. This will then trigger the back-up emergency lights to operate.

It is important to systematically check that all emergency lights are working, particularly in a non-maintained system. This will often involve a single walk along the escape and evacuation route.

Automatic Testing

Many site managers and in particular new builds now have installed automatic testing devices. Automatic testing is more efficient and comprehensive and is also flexible enough to test various elements and sections of a system. The cost of automatic testing against the cost of an engineer manually testing the system is also favourable over the long term.

Duration

Daily – Daily checks only apply to standard emergency lighting systems with one central back-up battery. In this instance a visual inspection of indicators is required to confirm that the system is in a suitable condition.

Monthly – Monthly checks involve checking luminaires and legends for any sign of damage. A brief test of the lights can be performed during a simulation power failure, which can be achieved few a fuse box or at a manual test box using a lighting test key.

Annually – at least every twelve months it is essential to perform a full discharge test. This involves a three hour run down test to guarantee that the battery system is able to perform for the maximum time of an evacuation period. Individual lights will need to be examined and it may also be useful to conduct an audit of the system, checking the overall effectiveness and adequacy of the emergency lighting as well as the correct use of emergency legends.

As a general rule a logbook should be kept recording the test results, whether they are carried out daily, monthly or annually. Any faults found within the emergency lighting system should be logged and fixed as soon as possible.

Martha is an expert in home and business security and pays particular attention to fire safety and prevention. For more information on fire safety including emergency lighting equipment for your business, please visit Discount Fire Supplies.
Thanks, Martha,  for reminding all businesses and facilities that they should regularly check their emergency lighting equipment.
 
 
First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

TOP TEN SAFETY APPS – Guest Blog

Guest Blog – Jesse Harwell is today’s guest author.  We know you will enjoy reading about ways to stay safe, and can benefit from this safety advise.  With these types of safety apps, how much “smarter” can our cell phones get?

Top 10 Safety Apps

There are a number of smartphone apps on the market designed to keep you and your family safe in emergency situations. They cover everything from safe driving and emergency alerts to first aid instructions. Here are the top ten safety apps.

1. Life 360 – Android (Free)

This app is the perfect tool for families in an emergency situation. It has a number of features vital in any disaster situation, such as GPS tracking on family members’ phones, disaster planning tips, communication tools, neighborhood maps of safety points.

2. MyMotolingo – Windows phones ($5/month)

This app is good for parents of teen drivers or spouses of drivers with road rage. It monitors all driver distractions, such as text messages and phone calls, and provides a report of phone activity. It also logs aggressive acceleration, speeding, trip length, and time that can be provided in email reports or tweets. Make sure your loved ones are keeping themselves safe on the road.

3. Playsafe – iPhone ($0.99)

Another factor that distracts drivers is playing and changing music on a mobile device. It makes the iPhone screen into a large button to play and pause music. A simple sideways swipe on the screen changes the track.

4. Silent Bodyguard – iPhone ($3.99)

This app acts like a silent panic button. Press it and the system will send e-mails, texts and social media messages with your location every 60 seconds to everyone on your emergency contact list. Best of all, it’s silent in case you’re in a situation when you wouldn’t want your attacker to know you’ve called for help.

5. Safety NET – Android ($3.99)

If you have loved ones who have medical issues, you might want to have them install this app. It uses a smartphone’s built-in accelerometer to monitor for falls, collisions, or shakes and immediately alerts all the contacts listed in the user’s “Safety Net.” If you accidentally drop your phone or don’t need help, you are also given 15 seconds to cancel the alert.

6. Pocket First Aid & CPR – iPhone, Android ($1.99) 

This app comes from the American Heart Association and provides basic instructions for performing first aid and CPR for adults, children, and infants. This should not be a substitute for complete first aid and CPR training, but it could save a life in an emergency. It also has several videos and illustrations to help you perform first aid and CPR correctly.

7. Emergency Radio – iPhone ($1.99) 

If you’re in an emergency situation without access to power, this app allows you to listen in on radio frequencies from first responders, such as the police, fire department, coast guard, as well as weather stations and air traffic control frequencies. It is currently available for major cities in the U.S., as well as a few around the world like London, Toronto, and Sydney.

8. ICE – iPhone ($0.99)

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. This app allows first responders and emergency personnel to find your emergency contacts, medical information, and allergies all in one place.

9. Help Me! –Android (Free)

This app provides personal information such as blood type, medical conditions, allergies, and an emergency call button. When the app is open, the screensaver is disabled so that anyone helping you can see the information at all times.

10. Personal Safety – Android ($1.99)

This app provides lots of information to keep you and your family safe. It alerts you of high-crime neighborhoods, severe weather, allergens, air quality, and speed limits wherever you are.

Jesse Harwell is a former private investigator who now owns and manages the site  Master of Homeland Security. It is a resource for students looking to earn a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security.

Wow!  What great information, thank you so much, Jesse!  This is good advice to assist everyone, as we never know when an emergency will happen.  Please pass this on to your family and friends.  Go to Jesse’s website for more ways to stay safe!

 

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

ARE YOU READY FOR WINTER?

Many citizens of the U.S. survived a very hot, dry summer, and tried all the safety tips offered to them to prevent them from being overcome from the heat.  Now, just as quickly, we turn around to face a cold winter.  Funny, how the climate changes each year, isn’t it?  The world keeps turning and we keep trying to adjust to Mother Nature. 

Regardless of the season, every family should have a disaster plan in place.  Here are some basic steps to follow:

  • Know what your community’s warning signals are.
  • Family should decide on two places to meet: a place outside your home for an emergency such as a fire, and a place away from your neighborhood in case you cannot return home. 
  • Select an out-of-area friend as your family check-in contact for everyone to call if the family is separated.
  • Post emergency phone numbers by the phones.  Have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home.  Have a first aid kit and supplies handy and have your family learn basic safety and first aid measures. 
  • Be sure that everyone knows how and when to call 9-1-1 or the local emergency medical services phone number.  

Next,  have home emergency supplies on hand.  There could be a winter storm or power outage that could prevent you from leaving home. 

  •          Flashlights and extra batteries.
  •          NOAA weather radio.
  •          Non-perishable foods that do not require refrigeration.
  •          Bottled water.
  •          One-week supply of essential medications.
  •          Extra blankets and sleeping bags.
  •          Emergency heating equipment, used properly. 

If you haven’t already done so, now’s the time to winterize your home! 

  • Have your heating system checked by a professional annually.  If you heat with wood, clean your fireplace or stove.  Have your chimney flue checked for buildup of creosote and then cleaned to lessen the risk of fire.
  • Caulk and weather-strip doors and windowsills to keep cold air out.
  • If you failed to replace batteries on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors when the time changed, do it now.
  • Be sure your home is properly insulated.  If not, insulate walls and attic.  This will help conserve energy and reduce your homes’ power demand for heat.
  • Inspect and flush your water heater.
  • Clean gutters of leaves and other debris in order to not hamper drainage.
  • Wrap pipes in insulation or layers of old newspapers.
  • Cover the papers with plastic to keep out moisture.
  • Leave faucets dripping slightly to avoid freezing.
  • Know how to shut off water valves.
  • If the house isn’t very warm inside, leave cabinet doors open where pipes are.
  • Set the heat no lower than 55 degrees. 

Last but not least, a word about generators, which can provide you with piece of mind and convenience when you have a temporary loss of electricity.  Before installing a generator, disconnect from your utility electrical service, and if possible, have a qualified electrician install it.  NEVER run a generator indoors!  Carbon monoxide gas from the exhaust of the generator can spread throughout closed spaces.  Overloading a generator can damage it, and the appliances connected to it.  Never let children around generators. 

We have many more tips for winter safety.  Stay tuned and we’ll bring more later…..Till then, stay warm and safe!

General Safety Issues

TIPS FOR CHOOSING A SAFE SUMMER CAMP FOR YOUR YOUNGSTER

There’s nothing more fun than going away from home to camp for one week or several weeks, according to the type of camp.  My memories are of church camp, where we were only gone for a week.  There we met kids of our age group, and made many new friends, as well as learning things that (hopefully) made us turn out to be better individuals. 

Some families choose camps for their kids to attend every summer, maybe even for six weeks or more.  There are many things to consider if you’ve never sent your child away to camp.  We hope to have put together some ideas to help you investigate the camp you plan to send your child or children to.  There are many things to think about when choosing the camp that will be just right, such as, first, doing much planning.  If it’s the first time, it might be best to choose a camp that is not too far away from home, depending on the age of the youngster.  Be sure you visit a few camps before you decide.  Camps will have age-appropriate groups.

  • Check out the policies of the camp and make sure they are accredited by the American Camp Association, an organization that evaluates the safety standards, health programs, and operations of camps.  They support more than 2,200 camps.  The ACA is celebrating its’ 100th anniversary this year.
  • Find out about staff training and counselor orientation.  Camp counselors will be accompanying your youngsters each day.  You want to be sure that those who are supervising children have been properly screened and trained.
  • Learn about the camp’s discipline policies, as well as how emergencies are handled.
  • There are many camps that are specifically designed for special needs children, and are wonderful facilities that give them opportunities that they deserve to enjoy.
  • Another question to ask, what type of medical treatment is available for the minor camp injuries, as well as is there a written medical emergency policy approved by a physician?
  • Are there lifeguards on duty during swim time, and have the counselors and other staff members been trained in CPR?
  • Be sure that the particular camp that you are considering offers the types of things that are of interest to your youngster. 
  • Ask if there are outdoor excursions, what special protocols are observed; and if counselors bring communication devices.  Do they use the “buddy system”, and how do they prepare youngsters to be cautious of strangers?  Do they have a “lost camper” plan, and are parents required to sign a permission slip for these hikes, or outings?
  • As we suggested earlier, you might want to select one that is not too far away from home.  Remember, also, that during certain weather seasons, there are considerations to be given to things such as thunderstorms, or tornadoes in the area of the camp.
  • You will need to provide a copy of your child’s medical records, just in case of an emergency.
  • If your youngster has allergies, be sure you send those and other medications with him; also lots of sunscreen, insect repellent, and all the usual things one needs when being in the outdoors. 

All quality camps are going to be eager to answer any questions you have.  After all, it is your youngster that they are going to be responsible for, and they want to know that your child is going to come home with some great stories of summer camp, and eager to return next year.

There are no wrong questions to ask when it comes to safety.  Camping is a great life-learning experience and provides an unforgettable adventure for your child.

General Safety Issues

THIS IS NATIONAL EMERGENCY SERVICES WEEK!

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Between May 15th through May 21st, communities and medical personnel come together to publicize safety and honor the dedication of those who provide the day-to-day life saving of emergency medicine’s “front line.”  May 18th is a day set aside as Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day.  FEMA regional Administrator Ken Murphy states that this is all about celebrating EMS providers – first responders, hospitals, emergency physicians and public health providers, with this year’s theme, “Everyday Heroes.” 

We citizens may take this front line of emergency medicine for granted, not fully understanding how much training and preparation has to be done to take care of us in an emergency situation.  Ambulances with trained staff, as well as our fire departments, police, and other agencies are on location quickly.  Some EMT’s and paramedics work with airplane and helicopter transports and are highly trained to keep patients stable until they reach a trauma unit for further care.  First responders serve not only those in cities and communities, but are stationed at remote sites such as offshore oil rigs.  They offer stand-by services at events such as concerts and ballgames.  Paramedics teach first aid courses to both company employees and individuals.  This enables all of us to be better prepared in times of emergencies. 

Our lives often depend on the quick reaction and competent care of emergency medical technicians (EMT’s) and paramedics.  These professionals see various types of injuries, resulting from heart attacks, slips and falls, automobile accidents or gunshot wounds, requiring immediate medical attention.  EMT’s and paramedics assess the nature of the patient’s condition, and determine what emergency care is needed while they transport the patient to a medical facility.  

The EMT-Basic represents the first level of the emergency medical team.  He/she is prepared through training to care for patients at the scene of an accident and while transporting patients by ambulance to the hospital under the direction of more highly trained medical personnel.  They have the skills to assess a patient’s condition and manage respiratory, cardiac and trauma emergencies.  These EMT-Basics know how to use and maintain common emergency equipment, such as backboards, suction devices, splints, oxygen delivery systems, and stretchers.  Once they have graduated from approved training programs, they must pass a written and practical examination administered by the State licensing agency or the NREMT. 

The EMT-Intermediate level has training requirements that vary by state.  Typically, this level requires 30 to 350 hours of training based on scope of practice.  They learn advanced skills such as the use of advanced airway devices, intravenous fluids, and some medications. 

Paramedic is the most advanced level of training for this occupation.  This level of caregiver has received training in anatomy and physiology, as well as advanced medical skills.  This training is most commonly conducted in community colleges and technical schools, which may result in an associate degree.  These programs may take up to one to two years.  Paramedics may become supervisors, managers, administrative directors, or executive directors of emergency services.  Some EMT’s and paramedics become instructors, or physician assistants.  

Hopefully, this week, you will stop and think about the important role our emergency medical providers play in our lives.  These folks are required to do much kneeling, bending and heavy lifting.  They are at a higher risk for contacting illnesses or experiencing injuries on the job.  Many times, they work long hours, and the work is not only strenuous but can be very stressful.  Their services are required 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.  When you get a chance, say “Thank You” to a first responder for what they do. 

This article is dedicated to David, our son-in-law, who has been a Paramedic for years.  He was an executive director of pre-hospital services for a large Texas hospital prior to starting his own medical transport service.  A very knowledgeable and caring person, he truly is an “Everyday Hero.”

Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Head Protection, Home Safety Products

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO IS HARD TO SHOP FOR?

There’s probably one in every family – the person who has just about everything you can imagine, and may be just a little hard to please.  Did you ever think about checking out safety products, as a unique gift?  It might be fun to try something different, and give him/her that special gift that also serves as a safety tool.  Here are some suggestions: 

  • How many persons have a Highway Safety Kit in their car?  Hopefully, none of us will ever get stranded, but especially in these winter conditions, it would be a great item to have in the trunk, just in case.  Always take water,  snacks, cell phone, blankets, and other supplies when traveling on a long trip.  The safety kit would alert other drivers that you need help.
  • If you are shopping for someone who wears hardhats, why not give them one with their favorite NCAA or professional football, basketball, or hockey team on it?  Hardhats are a great way of showing their patriotic spirit, as well.  If you want a one-of-a-kind gift, World War II or Vietnam era types of hardhats are a great show of respect for those who served. 
  • For a really unique gift, and for that want-to-be cowboy, there’s nothing more fun than a western hardhat!  They are ANSI-certified for all jobs that require hardhats, (except electrical work), and they look like the real thing!  Yee-hah! 
  • For the athlete on your list, brim lights for ball caps are pretty cool.  They are a great way to see and be seen while walking or running.  Clip-on LED lights would also be something neat to put under the tree!  Any high-visibility item, either vests or gloves, offer a safer walk or run.  An AM/FM earmuff radio would be neat to have while walking, running, or doing chores around the house. 
  • Give someone who thinks they’re pretty cool a nice pair of polarized safety glasses!  These are safety glasses that provide protection from the sun’s glare on snow, ice or the highway, and are just as stylish but not nearly so expensive as those in department stores.

These are just a few ideas that express to your loved ones that you have put much thought into keeping them a little safer.  There are many items that are geared toward safety, but we take them for granted –  everyday items like flashlights, NOAA Weather radios, First Aid Kits, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, and the numerous products that can help us in times of emergencies.  These things may not be as glamorous as jewelry, clothes, or electronics, but they may play a vital part in providing safety for a loved one.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

DO YOU REALLY NEED THE EMERGENCY ROOM?

Americans make almost 120 million visits to emergency departments each year.  Most of these are for injury or poisoning.  Not every ER visit is needed.  There are lots of folks who would prefer to go to the ER than wait in a clinic during normal hours.  However, it is frustrating for physicians to get waked up in the middle of the night to attend to a patient with a sore throat or some other minor illness that could be taken care of in the clinic, rather than a costly visit to the hospital ER.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that about one in eight ER visits was for a non-urgent reason.

You need to have a plan: Before an emergency strikes:

  • Know the location to the closest emergency room.
  • Lower your risk for this need by caring for chronic conditions you might have, by taking your medications regularly.
  • Have all your drug, allergy and medical information together so you can bring it in case you must go to the ER.

The American College of Emergency Physicians report that any of these warning signs suggest medical emergencies:

  • Shortness of breath, trouble breathing
  • Uncontrollable bleeding
  • Fainting, dizziness, or weakness
  • Sudden, severe pain or unusual belly pain
  • Pressure or pain in the chest or upper belly
  • Severe vomiting or diarrhea
  • Coughing or throwing up blood
  • Changes in vision or mental status
  • Trouble speaking
  • Feeling suicidal

If you think someone has had a stroke, remember this helpful information:  Think about the first three letters S-T-R.
S  Smile – Ask the individual to smile.
T  Talk – Tell the person to speak a simple sentence.
R  Raise – Ask person to raise both arms.

If there is a problem doing any one of these things, call 911 immediately.

By all means, if you have emergency needs, go to an ER.  Hospital personnel strive hard to furnish quality healthcare.  But remember, that emergency department is just what it says: Emergency!