Tag Archives: safety

The 3 B’s of Superbowl XLVII

photo

Beyonce. Baltimore. Blackout.

Let’s start with Beyonce. Is it obvious where my priorities are? My name is Alyssa and I watched the Superbowl only for the halftime show. The group text with my friends about Beyonce’s performance looked something like this: “Don’t tell me queen B isn’t AMAZING!!!! Ahh she’s sooo cool!! She is the ultimate woman. I WANT TO BE HER.” We love her.

Next, Baltimore. Congratulations to all Ravens fans and 49ers enemies on the big win.

Last but certainly not least (this is the most important part), the blackout. How did that happen? According to NFL and Superdome officials, Beyonce’s halftime show did not cause the 33-minute power outage. Apparently, there was “a problem in one of the two feeder lines…” (USA Today). Anyways, the blackout caused some craziness and confusion at the Superbowl. Can you imagine what would have happened if there was a power outage that lasted several hours? Or what about a blackout that lasted several days? And what if it was really cold (not California cold)?

Losing electricity can happen anywhere and can be very dangerous, so it is important that you’re prepared and know what to do in case there is a blackout. Follow these tips from the American Public Health Association!

Preparing for a Blackout

  1. Store emergency supplies in your home, including a first aid kit, canned food (and a manual opener), bottled water, flashlight, batter-operated radio and any essential prescription drugs.
  2. Make sure you know how to shut off gas, water and electric supplies at the source in your house.
  3. Keep a fire extinguisher in the house.
  4. Tell the police department and fire department ahead of time if you have a person living in your home who needs special assistance.
  5. Locate emergency shelters in your community in case you need assistance during a power outage.

During a Power Outage

  1. If power is out for a long time, don’t eat any food in your refrigerator that is warmer than 40 degrees (°F) as measured by a food thermometer.
  2. Drink plenty of water if the weather is hot. But first call your local water company to make sure the water from your faucet is safe to drink while you are waiting for the power to go back on.
  3. If it’s cold outside, wear lots of clothing to keep warm.
  4. Don’t touch any power lines either on the roof of your home or on the ground.
  5. Don’t use the following inside of your home without ventilation: barbeque or camp grills, gasoline engines, generators, lanterns and gas ranges. Using these indoors could lead to a poisonous buildup of air (carbon monoxide) in the house. If you must use any of these appliances, be sure to open lots of win- dows first. Even though you can’t see it or smell it, carbon monoxide can kill you.
  6. Don’t burn any charcoal and wood in your home with the windows shut.
  7. If someone in your home gets an electrical shock, don’t touch them or the source of the shock! Use cardboard, wood or plastic to move the live wire away from the person. Once you have moved the electrical source, check the person’s pulse, call 911 and start CPR if necessary. If a person looks weak, lay her or him down and elevate the person’s legs.

After the Power Comes Back On

  1. Check with your neighbors and see if they have power turned back on. If not, offer to assist them in any way you can.
  2. Make sure that your water is clean before drinking or bathing in it.
  3. Check the temperature of the food in your refrigerator before eating it: When in doubt, throw it out.

For more information, visit What You Need to Know When the Power Goes Out Unexpectedly and Blackouts (FEMA).

And if you haven’t seen Beyonce’s performance, here you go! Singing and dancing along as if you were the fourth member of Destiny’s Child is perfectly normal.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

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Don’t Drowse and Drive

We all know that driving under the influence is stupid, but what about driving while drowsy? DWD? Is that even a thing? IDK, but let’s NOT make it a thing.

Similar to driving under the influence, driving while drowsy is dangerous and impairs your ability to drive safely. You pay less attention to what’s going on around you. Your reaction time is slower. And your ability to make decisions is affected. So, please no DUIs or DWDs!

Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Let’s compare apples to apples: DUIs and DWDs. After 18 hours of being awake, your brainpower (or lack of brainpower) is similar to that of someone with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.05%. After about 24 hours of being awake, cognitive impairment is equivalent to a BAC of 0.10%. That’s higher than the legal limit (0.08%) in all states. So think again before you drive to campus after you’ve stayed up all night “studying” for an exam. Just take the shuttle to school!

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 2.5% of fatal crashes and 2% of injury crashes involve drowsy driving. In fact, these numbers are probably underestimates. Up to 5,000 or 6,000 fatal crashes each year may be caused by drowsy drivers.

Here’s what you can do to prevent drowsy driving:

  • Get enough sleep! According to the National Institutes of Health, adults need 7 or 8 hours of sleep a day, while adolescents need 9 or 10 hours.
  • If you have a sleep disorder, make sure to seek treatment.
  • Refrain from drinking alcohol or taking sedating medications (like NyQuil) before driving.

If you’re yawning or blinking frequently, drifting from your lane, missing your exit, or have difficulty remembering the past few miles driven, then you’re probably drowsy and should not be driving. Simply turning up the radio or the AC aren’t effective ways to keep you alert. Pull over and rest for a bit or change drivers. If you’re driving a long distance, take a friend with you so you can take turns driving, help keep each other awake, and split gas money!

And remember…

Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Photo by Alyssa Llamas

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

News Flash!

I was watching the News this morning and a story caught my attention: More Kids Injured by Falling TVs. Wait, what? More kids?

A new CPSC data report issued today shows that 349 consumers (84%) of them were children younger than age 9) were killed between 2000 and 2011, when TVs, furniture or appliances toppled over onto them. CPSC estimates that more than 43,000 consumers are injured each year in tip-over incidents and more than 25,000 (59%) of those injuries are to children under the age of 18.

How?

Flat Screen TV = Top Heavy + Narrow Base

Flat Screen TV + Curious Kid = TV Falls on Kid

Flat Screen TV > 50 lbs > Kid

Impact of a TV Falling on a Kid = Impact of a Kid Falling off a 10-Story Building

To help prevent tip-over tragedies, CPSC recommends the following safety measures in homes where children live or visit:

Looks like my old roomies and I got it right. By the way, this is the heaviest TV ever. Photo by: Alyssa Llamas

Looks like my old roomies and I got it right. By the way, this is the heaviest TV ever. Photo by: Alyssa Llamas

  • Anchor furniture to the wall or the floor.
  • Place TVs on sturdy, low bases, or anchor the furniture and the TV on top the base, and push the TV as far back on the furniture as possible.
  • Keep remote controls, toys, and other items that might attract children off of TV stands or furniture.
  • Keep TV and/or cable cords out of reach of children.
  • Make sure freestanding kitchen ranges and stoves are installed with anti-tip brackets.
  • Supervise children in rooms where these safety tips have not been followed.

Maybe you don’t have kids yet. But you might have a baby sister or brother or cousin. Or maybe your (fill in the blank) has a kid. Let your parents, aunts, uncles, friends, co-workers know what safety measures they can take to protect their kids.

Image Source: U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

What’s Cookin’, Good Lookin’

Don’t forget to add Sriracha! image source: Costco

Ling Ling Potstickers. That’s what’s up. During college, I probably ate Ling Lings at least 3-5 times a week. They’re so delicious and really easy to make. I just wished Ling Ling provided ten small packets of dipping sauce instead of just two medium sized ones. It’s the worst when you get down to the last five potstickers and you don’t have any sauce left. Ling Ling! Really?! Fortunately, I had a roommate who was quite the chef. Her DIY dipping sauce, a mixture of soy sauce and white vinegar, was the yang to my Ling Ling.

I prefer cooking Ling Lings in a frying pan, because I like my potstickers a tiny bit burnt. The annoying part about this method is checking to see if it’s time to add water. If you check too early, the hot oil splatters everywhere, including your face, neck, arms, and even your feet! If you wait too long, then you might end up with super burnt potstickers.

Having cooked over 500 Ling Ling Potstickers, I’ve learned a thing or two. To protect yourself from getting burned by the hot oil, use a lid as a shield. A little medieval, yes, but it’s proven to be effective (at least for me, anyways). The most important thing I’ve learned is how to put out a grease fire. Thankfully, I haven’t been forced to do that yet (knock on wood). While cooking Ling Lings or anything really, it’s important to know how to extinguish a grease fire.

Be prepared! Watch the video. It’s only 35 seconds long!

  1. Cover the pan with a metal lid. Don’t use a glass lid. It might shatter. If it’s safe to do so, turn off the stove. The grease fire can also be extinguished by covering the pan with a large, damp towel. Just make sure the towel isn’t dripping water, or it will make the fire worse.
  2. Baking soda can also be used to put out a grease fire. How? Baking soda contains bicarbonate, which release carbon dioxide, which is the same chemical contained in fire extinguishers. Extinguish the fire by pouring baking soda on the flames. Baking soda can only be used for a small fire.
  3. Last resort: fire extinguisher! Try putting out the fire with a lid or damp cloth first. But if flames are coming off of the pan, then extinguish away! Make sure to use a class B or K extinguisher.

When you’re cooking, keep an eye on the stove. If you start to see smoke, turn the heat down. If the fire get outs of hand, GET OUT ASAP AND CALL 911.

And whatever you do, NEVER THROW WATER ON A GREASE FIRE! I repeat, NEVER THROW WATER ON A GREASE FIRE!!! It will explode and your house will burn down.

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Walk This Way!

Remember to look both ways before crossing the street! Photo by Alyssa Llamas

Walking is a healthy and environment-friendly, not to mention wallet-friendly, way to get around. However, if you are not mindful of your surroundings, walking can be dangerous. Yes, pedestrians do have the right of way, but sometimes drivers are distracted or can’t see you.

According to the CDC, in the next 24 hours, on average, 324 people will be treated in an emergency department for pedestrian-related injuries. That’s scary! So, pay attention to these safety tips from the CDC:

  • Cross the street at a designated crosswalk.
  • Be careful at intersections, where drivers may fail to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians while turning onto another street.
  • Increase your visibility at night by carrying a flashlight and wearing reflective clothing.
  • It’s safest to walk on a sidewalk, but if you must walk in the street, walk facing traffic.

For those who text and walk, LOOK UP! Distracted walking, which includes talking on your phone, texting, Facebooking, Tweeting, and Instagramming, is NOT SAFE. You may think, “Go me! I’m walking to the gym, texting my mom, responding to e-mails, and Instagramming a picture of a turtle-shaped cloud! I sure know how to multi-task!” (I’ve never done that before). But, is multi-tasking really worth walking into a telephone pole? That’s what a 24-year old woman did while texting (Huffington Post). Even worse, a man talking on his cellphone was so distracted by his conversation, he didn’t even notice the edge of the train platform. He fell head first onto the tracks! Luckily, there was no train approaching and he was able to climb out of danger (Huffington Post).

Last year, about 1,152 people in the United States were treated in the ER for injuries suffered while walking and using a cell phone or some other electronic device. So think twice before you bust out your iPhone to update your status or play Scramble with Friends (am I the only one who still plays this game?).

And remember to look both ways before crossing the street!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

DYNAMITE!

Tomorrow is the 4th of July! Even though it’s on a Wednesday this year, there are so many reasons why tomorrow will be an awesome day. First of all, we’re celebrating America’s independence. That’s pretty great. Second, we get the day off. Of course we all wanted a 3-day weekend. But instead, we get TWO 2-day work weeks. That’s still a good deal. Next, we get to spend the day eating delicious food and hanging out with friends and family. Finally, we get to watch a spectacular firework show.

image source: ziptivity.files.wordpress.com

Fireworks are like beautiful and colorful diamonds gracefully falling down from the sky. I don’t care if they’re just redox reactions. Fireworks are magical.

But they can also be dangerous and cause eye and burn injuries. To be 100% safe, leave the fireworks to the experts and just enjoy the show.

If you’re “gon’ light it up like it’s dynamite!” Then, be smart and safe about it. “Cause I told you once.” Seriously, be safe. “Now I told you twice,” so please follow these firework safety tips from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to ensure a fun, accident-free 4th of July:

1. Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks.

2. Avoid buying fireworks that are packaged in brown paper because this is often a sign that the fireworks were made for professional displays and that they could pose a danger to consumers.

3. Always have an adult supervise fireworks activities. Sparklers can also be dangerous. They burn at temperatures of about 2,000 degrees. That’s hot enough to melt some metals!

4. Never place any part of your body directly over a fireworks device when lighting the fuse. Back up to a safe distance immediately after lighting fireworks. Duck and cover.

5. Never try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully.

6. Never point or throw fireworks at another person. Don’t even joke about it.

7. Keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap.

8. Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly. Please don’t make any attempt to simulate your own firework finale.

9. Never carry fireworks in a pocket or shoot them off in metal or glass containers.

10. After fireworks complete their burning, douse the spent device with plenty of water from a bucket or hose before discarding it to prevent a trash fire.

11. Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them.

image source: pinterest


Click here for the recipe of the jello dessert and other yummy patriotic treats.

Happy Independence Day!

By ALYSSA LLAMAS

Who Let the Dogs Out?!

Bow Wow. Photo by Arielle Colon

Memorial Day has passed, which means one thing: summer is here!!! Summertime is great for barbecues, swimming, the beach, and the outdoors. Unfortunately, summertime also brings about heat, humidity, and bugs (Gross)! If you have a fluffy best-friend around your house, summertime also means that you have to take extra care of your pet. If you keep your pet healthy, you keep your home and yourself healthy, as well!  So here are a few tips on keeping your pet’s health at its best (AVMA and Chatham County’s Public Health Department):

First of all, it is EXTREMELY important to keep water around inside and outside of your home. Getting dehydrated is a lot easier during the summer, so check water bowls periodically throughout the day and carry some water with you on car-rides and walks.

Sophie. Photo by Arielle Colon

Grooming isn’t just for looks.  Your pets are supposed to be well-groomed so that their fur can protect them from the the rays and warmth of the sun.  If your pet has too many tangles (or too much fur in general), it’s best to cut off some of those locks in order to release some of the trapped heat.

On walks/runs, make sure your pet doesn’t drink from any puddles (in case there is something toxic mixed in) and don’t overexert your pet (because your pet might have trouble keeping a normal body temperature in hot or humid weather).

Also, keep your pets inside when it’s a burning hot day (and I don’t mean inside a car)! It’s easy for pets to get overheated, and if that happens, your pet can get sick, get brain damage or die!  If your pet is panting excessively or passes out, spray water on him/her and get him/her to a vet quickly (LA County’s Department of Animal Care and Control)!

Finally, just like humans need regular check-ups, animals do too!  In order to avoid easily preventable diseases within pets, the American Veterinary Medical Association said that 95% of veterinarians recommend at least one annual exam.  The AVMA believes that the veterinary field needs to start promoting overall health, instead of just treating the sick or giving vaccinations.

Socks. Photo by Arielle Colon

Keeping your pets healthy means that you keep your home healthy.  If your pet is unhealthy, your family runs the risk of becoming unhealthy, as well.  For instance, many immunocompromised people (people who can’t fight off disease normally, like chemotherapy patients, HIV infected people, etc) run risks of catching zoonoses (diseases that can be transmitted from animal to human) from bites (The Emergence of Zoonotic Diseases: Understanding the Impact of Animal and Human Health- Workshop Summary by Tom Burroughs). This means you have to keep your pets’ vaccinations up to date!  Help your pet out with fleas, too!  Not only will he/she be uncomfortably itchy, but you might suffer from flea bites. Make sure to wash your hands right after touching your pet or anything that comest into contact with them, such as treats and toys.  Point is–by keeping your pet healthy, you not only help your pet, you help yourself! 

For more information, check out CDC’s Healthy Pets Healthy People.

Dotty. Photo by Arielle Colon

By ARIELLE COLON