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Red Cross
Staying Safe while celebrating Fourth of July
Also, a special opportunity to “Give Back”
The Fourth of July is just ahead, a time when people typically enjoy
the summer holiday with backyard barbecues, fireworks or water fun. But
this year, celebrating Independence Day will be different due to the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The American Red Cross offers safety tips
you can follow:
Continue to social distance by staying 6 feet away from others,
especially if you are at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19
(over age 65 or any age with underlying medical conditions).
Continue to wear cloth face coverings in public. Face coverings are most essential when social distancing is difficult.
Follow guidelines for your area when it comes to how large gatherings can be. Avoid crowds and mass gatherings.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
Stay home if you are sick.
If you are looking for a special way to mark the holiday, the Red Cross
is still collecting new, hand-made masks for use at the Dayton
VA. If you are interested in making face coverings to support
this effort, instructions can be found on the Centers for Disease
Control website or at redcross.org. “ As we all understand, face
coverings are going to be needed for a long period of time and this is
just one small way that we can show a Veteran that we are thinking of
them”, stated Lynne Gump, Executive Director. Please place
completed face coverings in a sealed plastic bag, with a note
indicating the number of coverings within the bag. The face coverings
can be mailed via the US Postage Service to any of the following Red
Cross offices:
Miami Valley Ohio Red Cross
370 W First Street Dayton OH 45402
Or
1314 Barnhart Rd, Troy OH 373
Or
130 Martz St, Greenville OH 45331
GRILLING SAFETY
Grilling fires spark more than 10,000 home fires on average each year in the U.S. To avoid this:
Always supervise a barbecue grill when in use. Don’t add charcoal starter fluid when coals have already been ignited.
Never grill indoors — not in the house, camper, tent or any enclosed area.
Make sure everyone, stays away from the grill, including children and pets.
Keep the grill away from the house or anything that could catch fire.
Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill.
WATER SAFETY
Warmer weather means enjoying the water. Be “water smart,” have
swimming skills and know how to help others. This includes home pools —
where young children are most at risk of drowning — and open water,
such as ponds, rivers and lakes — where people are more likely to drown
than any other location. With less access to lifeguarded aquatic
facilities this summer, some may consider open water environments that
are not designated for swimming.
Talk to your children, including older youth and teenagers, about water
safety. A variety of resources are available at
redcross.org/watersafety and redcross.org/watersafetyforkids.
If you choose to take your family to the water, make sure the area is
designated for swimming and has lifeguards on duty. Once there,
maintain social distancing, both in and out of the water, between you
and people who don’t live with you.
Wear face coverings on land, especially when physical distancing is
difficult. Do not wear them in the water as it may be difficult to
breathe. Don’t share goggles, nose clips, snorkels or other personal
items.
Designate a water watcher whose sole responsibility is to supervise
people during any in-water activity until the next person takes over.
Kiddie or inflatable pools can be a great way to have fun. Drain the
water from the pool and flip it over after swim time is over.
DOWNLOAD RED CROSS APPS The Red Cross offers a series of free mobile
apps to put lifesaving safety information in the palm of your hand.
Download these apps by searching for “American Red Cross” in your app
store or at redcross.org/apps.
The Red Cross Swim App has water safety tips and resources for parents
and caregivers along with child-friendly games, videos and quizzes.
The Red Cross Emergency App can help keep you and your loved ones safe
by putting vital information in your hand for more than 35 different
severe weather and emergency alerts.
The Red Cross First Aid App puts instant access to information on
handling the most common first aid emergencies at your fingertips.
About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support
to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's
blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international
humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The
Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers
and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For
more information, please visit redcross.org and join us on Twitter and
Facebook @ARCcsor
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