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Bicycle Safety

Bike riding is a lot of fun, but accidents happen. Every year, about 176,000 kids go to the emergency department because of bike accident injuries. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from head injuries.

A head injury means a brain injury. That's why it's so important to wear your bike helmet. Wearing one doesn't mean you can be reckless, but a helmet will provide some protection for your head in case you fall down.

Helmet How-To

Bike helmets are so important that the U.S. government has created safety standards for them. Your helmet should have a sticker that says it meets standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). If your helmet doesn't have a CPSC sticker, ask your mom or dad to get you one that does.

Your bike helmet should fit you properly. You don't want it too small or too big. Never wear a hat under your bike helmet. If you're unsure if your helmet fits you well, ask someone at a bike store.

Once you have the right helmet, you need to wear it the right way so it will protect you. It should be worn level and cover your forehead. The straps should always be fastened. If the straps are flying, it's likely to fall off your head when you need it most. Make sure the straps are adjusted so they're snug enough that you can't pull or twist the helmet around on your head.

Take care of your bike helmet and don't throw it around. That could damage the helmet and it won't protect you as well when you really need it. If you do fall down and put your helmet to the test, be sure to get a new one. They don't work as well after a major crash.

Many bike helmets today are lightweight and come in cool colors. If don't love yours as it is, personalize it with some of your favorite stickers. Reflective stickers are a great choice because they look cool and make you more visible to people driving cars.

Riding a bike that is the right size for you also help keeps you safe.

• When you are on your bicycle, stand straddling the top bar of your bike so that both feet are flat on the ground.





• There should be 1 to 3 inches (2.5 to 7.6 centimeters) of space between you and the top bar.

Here's a safety checklist your mom or dad can help you do:

• Make sure your seat, handlebars, and wheels fit tightly.




• Check and oil your chain regularly.




• Check your brakes to be sure they work well and aren't sticking.




• Check your tires to make sure they have enough air and the right tire pressure.

Be Seen, Be Safe!

Wearing bright clothes and putting reflectors on your bike also can help you stay safe. It helps other people on the road see you. And if they see you, that means they're less likely to run into you.

You'll also want to make sure that nothing will get caught in your bike chain, such as loose pant legs, backpack straps, or shoelaces. Wear the right shoes - sneakers - when you bike. Sandals, shoes with heels, and cleats won't help you grip the pedals. And never go riding barefoot! Riding gloves may help you grip the handlebars - and make you look like a professional!

But avoid wearing headphones because the music can distract you from noises around you, such as a car blowing its horn so you can get out of the way.

Road Rules

If you're allowed to ride on the street, follow these road rules:

• Always stop and check for traffic in both directions when leaving your driveway, an alley, or a curb.




• Cross at intersections. When you pull out between parked cars, drivers can't see you coming.




• Walk your bike across busy intersections using the crosswalk and following traffic signals.




• Ride on the right-hand side of the street, so you travel in the same direction as cars do. Never ride against traffic.




• Use bike lanes or designated bike routes wherever you can.




• Don't ride too close to parked cars. Doors can open suddenly.




• Stop at all stop signs and obey street (red) lights just as cars do.




• Ride single file on the street with friends.




• When passing other bikers or people on the street, always pass to their left side, and call out "On your left!" so they know that you are coming.




• Use hand signals (below), so other bikers and drivers will know what you're going to do next.

Mary L. Gavin, MD, Kathleen M. Cronan, MD, and Steven Dowshen, MD

Candle Fire Safety Tips

Candles may be pretty to look at but they are growing cause of home fires—and home fire deaths. Remember, a candle is an open flame, meaning that it can easily ignite any combustible material nearby. And because candle fires spread so quickly, it’s essential that you have working smoke alarms in your residence and a home fire escape plan ready to go. Follow these tips to help you use candles safe:

Reducing the risk

• Never leave a burning candle unattended. Extinguish all candles when you leave the room or go to bed. Almost half of all home fires started by candles begin in the bedroom. College Park Fire Rescue discourages the use of candles in the bedroom and other areas where people may fall asleep.




• Keep candles at least one foot away from anything that can burn including curtains, blinds, wallpaper, clothing or any other material that can catch fire.





• Don’t place lit candles in windows or near doorways where drafts could bring combustibles in contact with the flame.





• Keep candles away from flammable liquids.

“Candle with Care”

• Use candle holders that are sturdy, won’t tip over easily, are made from a material that can’t burn, and are large enough to collect dripping wax.





• Place candle holders on a sturdy, uncluttered surface—away from edges and any place where they could be knocked over by kids or pets.





• Light candles carefully. Keep your hair and any loose clothing away from the flame.





• Keep candle wicks trimmed to one-quarter inch.





• Extinguish candles when they burn down to within two inches of their holder or any decorative material.





• Extinguish candles carefully, using a long-handled candle snuffer or a soft, directed breath. Be careful not to splatter wax when extinguishing. Do not leave the room until wicks have stopped glowing.





• Avoid using candles during a power outage. Have flashlights and battery-powered lighting on hand for emergency lighting.

Candles and kids

• Never leave a child unattended in a room with a burning candle.





• Don’t allow kids or teens to burn candles in their bedrooms.





• Don’t let kids play with candles or dripping wax – or with materials that could catch fire near candles.





• Store matches and lighters up high and out of children’s sight and reach, preferably in a locked cabinet.

United States Fire Administration

What can you do to protect yourself from floods?

Find out if your property is located in an area that is at high risk for flooding. Keep in mind, however, that nearly 25 percent of flood insurance claims come from properties considered to be at low or moderate risk of flooding. So, even if you do not live in a high-risk area, flood insurance is a good idea. Devastating floods in the United States cause more than $2 billion in property damage each year. Most homeowners and business insurance policies do not cover flood loss.

Due to urbanization, erosion, watershed changes and storm damage, flood zone parameters are constantly shifting. Although homes, businesses or buildings may not have changed locations, the flood danger zone may have.

EMERGENCY INFORMATION

1. Flood waters can be extremely dangerous. The force of six inches of swiftly moving water can knock people off their feet. The best protection during a flood is to leave the area and go to shelter on higher ground.
   
   

2. Flash flood waters move at very fast speeds and can roll boulders, tear out trees, destroy buildings, and obliterate bridges. Walls of water can reach heights of 10 to 20 feet and generally are accompanied by a deadly cargo of debris. The best response to any signs of flash flooding is to move immediately and quickly to higher ground.
   
   

3. Cars can be easily be swept away in just 2 feet of moving water. If flood waters rise around a car, it should be abandoned. Passengers should climb to higher ground.

DANGER ZONES

Floods and flash floods occur within all 50 states. Communities particularly at risk are those located in low-lying areas, near water, or downstream from a dam.

WHAT IS A FLOOD?

Floods are the most common and widespread of all natural disasters--except fire. Most communities in the United States can experience some kind of flooding after spring rains, heavy thunderstorms, or winter snow thaws. Floods can be slow, or fast rising but generally develop over a period of days.

Dam failures are potentially the worst flood events. A dam failure is usually the result of neglect, poor design, or structural damage caused by a major event such as an earthquake. When a dam fails, a gigantic quantity of water is suddenly let loose downstream, destroying anything in its path.

WHAT IS A FLASH FLOOD?

Flash floods usually result from intense storms dropping large amounts of rain within a brief period. Flash floods occur with little or no warning and can reach full peak in only a few minutes.

DID YOU KNOW...

• Individuals and business owners can protect themselves from flood losses by purchasing flood insurance through National Flood Insurance Program. Homeowner's policies do not cover flood damage. Information is available through local insurance agents and emergency management offices.
  
  

• Flooding has caused the deaths of more than 10,000 people since 1900. Property damage from flooding now totals over $1 billion each year in the United States.

IF YOUR HOME IS FLOODED

• Be sure utilities are off. Don't turn them on until notified.

• Avoid weakened structures, particularly floors, walls and rooftops to avoid structural damage.

• Do not pump basement out until flood water recedes.

DRINKING WATER

If your well has been flooded, assume the water in your home has been contaminated. Follow the directions on the right side of this page to disinfect your well.

If you are on public water, your local health jurisdiction will let you know, through local media, if your water is not safe to drink.

Bottled water is the best choice. If you can, get commercially bottled water that has been stored for less than 6 months in tightly sealed containers. Plan for one gallon per person per day.

If the water from your tap is clear-

• Boil it for 3 minutes to disinfect. This kills disease-causing bacteria and parasites, or

• Add 1/8 teaspoon household bleach per gallon of water. Let it sit for 1/2 hour.

If water is cloudy -

• Filter it by pouring it thru a coffee filter and then boil it for 3 minutes.

• If you can't boil it, filter it and add 1/4 teaspoon of household bleach per gallon of water. Let it sit for 1 hour.

CLEAN-UP/HYGIENE

• Wash your hands often using soap and disinfected water.

• Make sure hands are washed:

  • when preparing or eating food.

  • after using the toilet

  • during and after handling contaminated items in flood cleanup activities.

• Wear gloves and boots. Do not touch anything with bare hands. Be careful not to step on glass.

TOILET

Until sewage disposal systems are back to normal, use any large container lined with a plastic bag and covered with a tight-fitting lid, as a temporary toilet.

Add: 1/4 cup of unscented chlorine bleach or disinfectant after each use to kills germs and stop odor.

ANIMALS

Do not trap or corner wild animals. Sick or injured animals may be dangerous.

FOOD

Throw out fresh or frozen food that has come into contact with flood water.

• Throw out food that has not been properly refrigerated "If in doubt...throw it out!"
  
  

• Undamaged canned goods are o.k. but before opening disinfect cans in a dilute bleach solution

Cleaning Up and Repairing Your Home

Turn off the electricity at the main breaker or fuse box, even if the power is off in your community. That way, you can decide when your home is dry enough to turn it back on. 

• Get a copy of the book Repairing Your Flooded Home*. It will tell you:

               1. How to enter your home safely.

               2. How to protect your home and belongings from further damage.

               3. How to record damage to support insurance claims / assistance requests.

               4. How to check for gas or water leaks and how to have service restored.

               5. How to clean up appliances, furniture, floors and other belongs. Examples: 

• Wear waterproof boots and gloves. Open all doors and windows. Use fans is possible to air out the building.
  
  

• First: clean walls, hard surfaced floors and household surfaces with soap and water. Make sure dirt and mud are gone.
  
  

• Then, wipe everything down with solution of one cup household bleach to disinfect. Wash all clothes and linens in hot water. Throw away mattresses and stuffed furniture. It cannot be adequately cleaned, even with steam.

Repairing Your Flooded Home is available free from the American Red Cross

Tornado Watches and Warnings:

• A tornado watch is issued by the National Weather Service when tornadoes are possible in your area. Remain alert for approaching storms. This is the time to remind family members where the safest places within your home are located, and listen to the radio or television for further developments.
  
  

• A tornado warning is issued when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar.

Learn these tornado danger signs:

Portable Heaters Safety

In most fires caused by portable heaters the cause of the fire is improper use, improper fueling or improper maintenance of the heater. To prevent a tragedy the College Park Fire Rescue offers these precautions regarding portable heaters:

• When purchasing a new portable heater, select equipment that bears the mark of an independent testing laboratory





• Use and maintain the heater in compliance with the instructions and the local building and fire codes





• Keep portable heaters at least 36 inches away from anything that can burn, including furniture, bedding, clothing, pets and people





• Space heaters should never be left operating when you are not in the room or when you go to sleep





• Children and pets should be supervised at all times when space heaters are in use





• Don't use the heater for anything other than to heat the room. It should not be used to cook food, dry clothes or heat water for humidification





• If you have an electric space heaters check the cord for fraying or splitting





• Do not use an extension cord to supply power to a portable electric heater





• Never block a means of escape with a portable heater





• For portable kerosene heaters, use only the fuel recommended by the manufacturer





• When refueling a portable kerosene heater, always turn the heater off, allow it to cool, use a fuel gauge to prevent overfilling and fill the tank outdoors





• Store kerosene away from heat or open flame in an approved container clearly marked with the name of the fuel

Anytime you introduce a source of heat, such as a portable heater, into your living space you increase your risk of fire. This increased risk requires additional responsibility. If you decide to use a portable heater take the proper precautions and follow the manufacturer's instructions for proper use and maintenance.

Smoke Detectors

Most home fire deaths happen in the middle of the night between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. A smoke detector can save your life by waking you and giving you time to escape. When purchasing a smoke alarm, look for one that is accepted by an independent testing facility such as Underwriters Laboratories or Factory Mutual.

The best place for your smoke alarms:

• On every level of your home, including the basement and workshop

• Outside every bedroom

• On the ceiling or on the wall, 6 to 12 inches below the ceiling. Keep detectors away from air vents.

Check the alarm batteries once a month by pressing the test button with your finger.  College Park Fire Rescue recommends that you replace the batteries when you change the time on your clocks in the spring and/or fall.

You should clean the alarm by following the manufacturer’s instructions. The grillwork on the detector should be vacuumed periodically to keep it dust-free.

To prevent false alarms, move the detector away from a kitchen or bathroom. You may also want to consider purchasing a photoelectric smoke detector, they are less sensitive to common causes of false alarms. Some smoke alarms also are equipped with a silencing feature, so that nuisance alarms can be stopped quickly and easily.

College Park Fire Rescue also recommends you have a smoke alarm that has a battery back-up if you have a hardwired model. That way it can still alert you in the event of an emergency if the power is off.