Memorial Day Safety Tips

child hugging a veteran

Memorial Day Safety Tips

Top 5 Safety Tips to Keep in Mind This Memorial Day Weekend.

This Memorial Day, we encourage you to join us in paying tribute to our fallen heroes. Traditionally this special celebration is reserved for those courageous men and women in uniform who died protecting our freedom and way of life.

To all our heroes and their families, we are eternally grateful.

Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer, and everyone is eager to go out and have as much fun as possible. However, small oversights can turn into agonizing moments, at Altus ER Centers we are committed to help our communities stay safe, and therefore we have prepared a small list of Memorial Day Safety Tips to help you and your family enjoy this weekend.

large American flag over a cemetery

Memorial Day Safety Tip #1

Food Safety

The weather around this time of year is perfect for a picnic or outdoor grilling. To avoid the risk of food poisoning, we recommend:

  • That perishable foods be refrigerated within 2 hours of purchase, if the temperature outside is 90°F or higher, food should be chilled within 1 hour.
  • While grilling or out on a picnic keep uncooked foods in a cooler.
  • To avoid cross contamination, keep meats separate from other perishables.
  • Cover food to avoid insects from depositing germs.
family having an outdoor picnic

Memorial Day Safety Tip #2

Water Safety

National Safe Boating Week coincides with Memorial Day Weekend as a lot of people are expected to hit the waterways. Even if you do not plan to be on a boat, there are some standard Memorial Day Safety Tips to keep in mind, in order to avoid a tragic accident:

  • Wear a US Coast Guard approved life jacket that fits properly whenever you are on a boat.
  • Avoid alcohol when swimming, boating or tubing.
  • Designate an adult watcher/lifeguard to keep an eye on children in pools, at the beach, rivers or even hot tubs.
  • Never swim alone and try to stay within eyesight of a lifeguard station.
  • Do not go swimming, tubing or boating after sunset.
children on a lake

Memorial Day Safety Tip #3

Grill/Fire Safety

Emergency care centers see their share of burn victims because of unsafe grilling or bonfire practices. If your weekend plans include grilling or sitting near an open fire, please keep these Memorial Day Safety Tips in mind:

  • Never leave a grill or fire unattended, be mindful of the wind and extinguish all fires completely.
  • Do not grill indoors, keep grills, bonfires and fire pits away from low hanging branches and materials that can easily catch fire.
  • Make sure your grill is properly cleaned before using it, clogged gas burners, and leftover grease can cause a fire to spiral out of control within seconds.
  • When grilling, use the long handle utensils made especially for barbequing and keep an extinguisher nearby.
  • Never add starter fuel to already ignited charcoal & ALWAYS keep children and pets away from the grill and fire pit.
group of people at a barbecue

Memorial Day Safety Tip #4

Safe Sun Exposure

Here in Texas, it tends to get really hot. An important Memorial Day Safety Tip is to protect yourself and your family members from extended sun exposure to avoid sunburns or a heat stroke.

  • Wear SFP 15 or higher sunscreen, apply it 30 minutes before exposure and reapply every 2 hours.
  • Use sunglasses and a hat to protect your eyes and always drink plenty of water while celebrating outdoors.
  • If you or a family member feels faint or nauseous, move them to a cool place immediately, if necessary apply cold compresses to the back of their neck and forehead to help lower their body temperature.
  • If you have children, schedule their outdoor activities in the early morning or late afternoon, do not leave them unsupervised on a hot day.
child applying sunscreen

Memorial Day Safety Tip #5

Travel Safely

This is one the busiest and dangerous travel weekends of the year, follow these Memorial Day Safety Tips to ensure your family’s safety:

  • Always wear seat belts and make sure child car seats are properly installed.
  • Have your car serviced before a long trip.
  • Plan your trip beforehand and give yourself extra travel time.
  • Never drink and drive or allow yourself or anyone else to get into a car with someone who has been drinking.
mother securing her child into a car seat

Know Where to Go In the Event of an Emergency

Food allergies are both serious and can be life-threatening. For this reason, by being aware of the symptoms of a possible allergic reaction, you can help save a life. It may be your own. If you observe any possible symptoms of a food allergic reaction, please keep in mind that you will not have to wait in line at Altus Emergency Centers. All of our ERs are fully equipped and open 24/7.

Altus Emergency Room Baytown

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