Summer is for fun and relaxation. Melanie Balaka, your local State Farm agent, wants your warm-weather activities to be accident and incident free. We probably know many of these reminders and yet, hearing them one more time may be critically important to someone you care about.
Protect Children from Hot Cars
Children are our most precious gifts. They are especially vulnerable in warm summer months because their body temperatures increase three to five times faster than adults’.
- Never leave a child unattended in a car, no matter how briefly. It takes just 10 minutes from shut off for the temperature to rise almost 20 degrees.
- Don’t be fooled by mild temperatures. Even when it’s 60 degrees Fahrenheit outside, a car’s interior can reach 110 degrees.
- Always check your back seats before locking your car.
Understand and Look for Heat Related Illness
- Signs of heat exhaustion: Watch for breathing that is shallow and fast, headaches, dry mouth, pale or clammy skin, muscle cramps, tiredness, disorientation, sweating, passing out, nausea or vomiting. You may want to consult your doctor or go to the ER if you or someone around you is experiencing heat exhaustion signs.
- Signs of heat stroke: Symptoms include dizziness, a high body temperature (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit), red, hot and dry skin (no sweating), unconsciousness, nausea, confusion, a rapid, strong pulse or a throbbing headache. See immediate medical attention with these symptoms.
- Sunburns: These are best avoided with sunscreen and coverage by clothes, umbrellas or other coverings.
Grilling Safety
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), approximately 9,500 people are burned from grill fires or hot grills each year, and 21,682 patients went to emergency rooms because of injuries involving grills between 2020 and 2024. During that same timeframe, grill fires also caused the highest average financial loss per home structure fire with $28,500 of damage on average. Yikes!
Grilling Safety: Be sure to clean your grill, place it in a well-ventilated area, check for leaks or breaks in the line and attend it continually. Keep children and pets away.
Melanie Bakala and her skilled team live and work locally to service all your insurance needs including home, property, life and business. Contact them for a quote or find more information at the Melanie Bakala State Farm Olympia or Shelton websites or call 360.972.7905 (Olympia) or 360.462.2428 (Shelton).
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