Sledding Safety

   Well with snow on the ground I thought I would go after one of my favorite things to do as a child, Sledding and Tubing! Sledding/Tubing was always fun, I remember whenever it would snow I would always want to go so bad that I would run and try to slide across the front yard if we couldn't make it to a hill. Luckily I live in Utah and we rarely have a shortage of snow in the winter. With that being said we also have a lot of injuries here and deaths every year due to winter sports sledding, tubing, skiing, snowboarding etc. (This article is only going to cover sledding and tubing) So I thought I would do some sledding/tubing safety facts and tips.

Facts

   Although most areas can only enjoy the fun of Sledding/Tubing a couple months out of the year the United States sees upwards of 20,000 children in the Emergency room each year. The injuries range from minor bumps and bruises to the occasional death (approximately 5 a year). Most of the injuries are caused by the child sledding in their yard and into the road getting hit by a car/truck or by being pulled by a car/truck/ATV down the street on a sled or tube. 

   Safety Tips

• Supervise - Always be there to supervise your child as they do anything that could lead to such injuries.
• Face Forward - Children should always SIT (not stand or lay down) face forward when you sled. This way when you are going if you see a danger you have more of a chance of getting out of the way and preventing it.
• Under 5 - Children under 5 should always ride with someone.
• Artificial Jumps - You shouldn't allow your children to make artificial jumps.
• 1 at a time - You shouldn't allow your children to go down more then one at a time. Never pile onto a sled or tube.
• Vehicles - NEVER pull a sled or tube with a vehicle of any sort. This is extremely dangerous.
• Arms and Legs - Have your kids keep their arms and legs held inside the sled/tube to prevent injuries.

Choosing Where To Sled

• Avoid hills that are next to parking lots and road ways.
• Avoid hills that have a lot of trees
• Avoid hills that have a pond next to it
• Avoid hills that have fences or other hazards
• Select a hill that is not to steep and has plenty of stopping area at the bottom of the hill.
• Make sure the hill is cleared of any rocks, shrubs, trees, jumps and bumps before sledding/tubing
• Don't sled down an Icy hill just Snowy ones as a fall on the icy ones can cause more injuries.

   It is also recommended to wear a properly fit helmet as most serious injuries due to any winter sport is a head injury. Make sure you are dressed for the weather and have a dry set of clothing just in case you need it. Don't stay out after dark as it is harder to see the obstacles that might be in your way. Most of all go out and have fun but be safe doing it.

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Are You Prepared For Winter?

  Winter is here and no matter where you live chances are you will experience some type of severe weather change such as Snow, Ice, Rain, High Winds etc or all of the above. Are you honestly prepared for it? What if your power, heat or communication gets knocked out for an extended time, are you ready for that? Sometimes this can happen for days at a time. Heavy snow or extreme cold can keep you an entire region immobilized.

   The National Weather Service refers to winter storms as "Deceptive Killers" because most deaths due to weather are not caused from the storm itself but instead by the indirect causes such as car accidents on icy roads and hypothermia due to prolonged exposure to the cold. It is extremely important to be prepared.

What do you need to be prepared?

• Have an emergency kit - You should have enough Food, Water and other supplies that can get you by for at least 72 hours. In this kit you should also put a Medical Emergency Kit in it with basic supplies a flashlight, battery operated radio and have enough prescription medication to get you by for at least 72 hrs (I would suggest a week at least)
• Heat - Have enough fuel for your heater(s) If you have a wood burning fireplace make sure you have enough Dry Wood to burn for source of heat for at least 72 hrs. Your main heat supply could be cut off during a bad storm. 
• Plan - If your family is separated at the time of the storm (someone is at work etc.) it is important to know how you will contact each other once communication is available. How and where you will meet up if it is safe to do so if communication is not available. 
• Radio - Get a battery operated radio with spare batteries. Listen to the National Weather or you Local Weather to get updates on what is going on and Safe Places/Sleeping Arrangements that are being made.
• Travel - Don't travel unless you need to. If you do need to travel make sure that you have safety supplies with you. Jumper cables, blanket, emergency kit, shovel, sand, salt etc.
• Pets - Bring your pets inside during winter weather. Move your livestock to stables or shelter areas until the storm pass'. Always make sure that they have fresh food and that their water is not frozen.

*Note: Refer to my post on Carbon Monoxide for Winter Safety*

What do you do during the storm?

• Stay indoors as much as possible. Don't go out unless you absolutely have to.
• Avoid overexertion when shoveling as it can bring on a heart attack. This is a major cause of death in the winter. If you do need to shovel your walks, driveways or anything else make sure you stretch before doing so.
• Always pay attention where you are walking and be careful. You could be walking on black ice. Make sure you are sure footed before taking your next step.
• Always keep dry. Change your clothes if you do get wet, wet clothing looses its insulation ability.
• Drive only if it is necessary. Don't leave unless you really need to. Remember the leading causes of death is not the storm itself but the accidents and hypothermia because of the storm.
• Watch for signs of hypothermia. These include but aren't limited to: uncontrollable shivering, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and memory loss.
• If you do need to leave let someone know where you are going and what time you expect to be there. Don't make any unexpected stops along the way unless you can reach that person as this should be a way for them to know to send help if you are not there in an allotted time frame.
• I don't like this one.... Make sure you have plenty of ventilation when using your kerosene heaters to avoid build up of toxic fumes. When you need to refuel them do it outside and away from the home, Never do it in the home or in the garage. Refer to my Carbon Monoxide Post.
• If you will be leaving your home for any time during the cold make sure to leave your heat on so your pipes don't freeze as this can cause more problems then what its worth.

   If you lose power or heat and it is safe, go to a public shelter during periods of extreme cold. Text SHELTER + your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find your nearest shelter. Continue to wear warm dry clothing to prevent hypothermia.

(example would be: shelter 12345)

   For more information you can visit the following sites:

(***The guide below is excellent!!!***)

Extreme Cold: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety 

Federal Emergency Management Agency

NOAA Watch

American Red Cross

As always I would love to hear from you so leave your comments below. Remember to join by clicking "Join" button to the right of the page and invite your friends and family so we can spread these safety tips and techniques. Thanks for visiting!

The Silent Safety Tip!

   Its cold out side so I think it is a good time to bring up a silent safety tip that so many of us don't even think about. Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless and otherwise undetectable by human senses that you may not know you are being exposed to. Exposure to this gas can lead to sudden illness and death.  I want to go over some of the warning signs then some of the ways we can try to prevent it from happening.

Carbon Monoxide Symptoms

• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Flu-Like Symptoms, Fatigue, Without the Fever
• Shortness of Breath, Exertion
• Visual Changes
• Vomiting
• Confusion
• Fainting
• Memory and Walking Problems

   Carbon Monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. The Center of Disease Control estimates that it is responsible for an average of 15,000 Hospital visits and 500 deaths a year. Carbon Monoxide is produced by many common household items such as Heaters, Stoves, Water Heaters and Fireplaces etc.

   When you breath Carbon Monoxide, the poison replaces the oxygen in your bloodstream and causes your heart, brain and body to become starved for oxygen. Symptoms vary person to person. People that are at high risk are the Elderly, persons with lung disease, smokers and young children (note: this may not be a complete list). Carbon Monoxide can harm a fetus :(.

   The good news is we can limit the chances of being exposed to Carbon Monoxide by taking some very easy safety precautions. If we follow the ones listed below it will limit the chances dramatically and could save your life one day. Realistically 500 lives a year is not much considering how many millions of people live in the United States but when this is something that can virtually be close to 0 we should error on the side of caution especially when this could be our family that is at risk.

Safety Tips To Help Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Generators - Never use them indoors. Even if you have your windows and doors open, it is just to dangerous. Just keep them outside.
• Heating System, Including Chimney and Vents - Have these inspected annually by a trained service technician.
• Gas Range/Oven - Never use these as a source of heat. Remember Carbon Monoxide is Odorless and Colorless so even if it is supervised you will not know that it is being emitted until you experience the symptoms and it isn't worth the risk.
• Grills - I think this one is common sense but never bring it into the house as a source of heat. Also never bbq in your garage as it could emit the gases into the home.
• Fireplace - Always make sure that you open the Damper before lighting the fire and keep it open until all of the ashes are cool.
• Carbon Monoxide Sensor - Install Carbon Monoxide Sensor's in the home.
• Symptoms - Know the symptoms of Carbon Monoxide as early detection could save your life.

(***This is not a complete list, this is just to get you started***)

    If you start experiencing any of the symptoms that I listed above you should immediately leave the home to get fresh air and call your local fire department to report your symptoms, if you don't have a cell phone use a neighbors home but do not go back into your home to use your phone. You could lose consciousness or die if you don't leave your home. It is also important to call your Dr immediately for proper diagnosis. Let your Dr know that you believe you were exposed to Carbon Monoxide and believe you could be suffering from Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Prompt medical attention is very important with dealing with Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. If your Dr confirms Carbon Monoxide Poisoning, make sure a qualified service technician inspects all appliances before reusing them.

   Carbon Monoxide alarms are a great investment to detect Carbon Monoxide as they are designed to alarm you before potentially life-threatening levels of Carbon Monoxide levels are reached. You should always follow the Manufacturers instructions. Using a Test button test whether the circuit in the device is working properly, not the accuracy of the device. All alarms have a recommended age at which the battery and the device should be replaced. 

   It is recommended that Carbon Monoxide Alarms be placed in the hallways just outside of every sleeping area of the home. I will list a few of the Carbon Monoxide Alarms that I have found for your below. Keep in mind these are just a couple of items that I looked into. There are plenty more items out there that will do the same thing, some could be better then these.

Left: This device is great for everyone. It runs off of 3 AA battery's which are included. This alarm can be mounted to a wall or placed on a nightstand or end table.

Middle: This device is also great for everyone. It runs off of 3 AA battery's which are included. This alarm is to be mounted to a wall or ceiling. This alarm is is a Combo alarm meaning it detects Carbon Monoxide and Smoke. Would be a great alarm to place in the hall just outside of every sleeping area.

Right: This device is great for those with older children or grandparents houses where children aren't at all the time to unplug the unit etc. This alarm runs off of 1 nine-volt battery which is included and is also plugged into a wall outlet.

Just make sure to choose the right device for your home. Maybe a combination of devices suites your needs.
You can find more of these products at your local hardware stores, Ebay or on Amazon.

As always I appreciate your feedback or anything that you would like to add so please feel free to leave your comments below.
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