SUMMER SAFETY: SAFE KIDS COALITION, OTHER GROUPS WORK TO EDUCATE PARENTS AND CHILDREN

Murielle Wyman slid safely through the waterslide at the Capaha Park Pool thanks to lifeguard Shannon Bigham. Bigham supervises how soon children are allowed through the slide so they don't land on each other.

Summer is a time for children to have fun, but summer fun can quickly turn into summer disaster. Whether children are playing with fireworks, on playgrounds or in the water, parents and other adults play a major role in keeping children safe.

Connie Peiffer, a pediatrics nurse manager at Southeast Missouri Hospital, said more accidents occur in the summer because "children are more active in the summer, whereas when in school, children have more restrictions on them."

Peiffer also serves as co-chairwoman of the Cape Girardeau Area SAFE KIDS Coalition, which is a part of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop leads the national campaign.

Parents are sometimes unaware of the risks summer activities can have, Peiffer said.

Marti Sturm, who also serves as co-chairwoman of SAFE KIDS, said parents don't intend for an accident to happen to their kids. "Children are just so fast," she said. "In a blink of an eye, a child can drown or be burned by fireworks."

Sturm also is a child safety advocate at St. Francis Medical Center.

Both Peiffer and Sturm suggest that parents follow some guidelines to lower the risk of injury to children.

Fireworks

Fireworks provide fun and entertainment for children during the summer, especially on the Fourth of July , but parents should use caution when using fireworks around children.

"There will always be a small percentage of children who try things with fireworks that they shouldn't," Sturm said. "They're daring. They don't realize the impact it could have on the rest of their lives."

Although public fireworks displays are probably safest, anyone shooting off fireworks should use the following precautions:

-- Don't allow young children to play with fireworks under any circumstances, even sparklers. Sparklers can reach 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and stay hot long after they've burned out.

"There are things out in the market that children can play with that make the same noise as fireworks but without the burning," said Peiffer. Novelties such as poppers or snappers, which pop when thrown on the ground, are much safer.

-- Older children should always be supervised when using fireworks. Peiffer said children as old as 10, 11 or young teens still need to be supervised because they tend to be more daring with fireworks. Parents should never allow any running or horseplay, such as bottle rocket fights, when using fireworks.

-- Never experiment or attempt to make your own fireworks.

-- Read and follow all warning label instructions before shooting off fireworks.

-- Light fireworks outdoors away from houses, dry leaves or grass and unused fireworks. Keep a bucket of water nearby for emergencies and for pouring on fireworks that don't ignite.

-- Don't try to relight malfunctioning fireworks. Douse with water and discard.

-- Never ignite fireworks in a container, especially a glass or metal container.

-- Never carry fireworks in your pocket.

-- Store fireworks in a dry, cool place. Check directions for special storage instructions.

Playgrounds

Playgrounds can be sources of fun, but they can also be sources of injuries. More than 211,000 children ages 14 and younger are treated in hospital emergency rooms nationwide for playground equipment-related injuries.

"We've seen a lot of people taking better care of equipment now than in the past," Peiffer said, but precautions still need to be taken.

Parents should check the playground's surface to see if it is safe. A cushioned surface can reduce the risk of injury from a fall. Equipment shouldn't be on asphalt or concrete, and even grass or soil can be too hard when compacted.

Twelve inches of shredded mulch, pea gravel, crushed stone or other loose surfaces are safe as long as they are maintained to keep their cushioning. Rubber mats, synthetic turf and other materials also are safe.

The equipment itself should be mounted securely on concrete footing below surface level to prevent tripping and should be at least 6 feet away from fences and walls and at least 12 feet away from other equipment to prevent additional injury if a child should fall. The equipment should also have slip-resistant surfaces on all climbing and gripping parts, protective barriers on elevated platforms, and painted or galvanized parts to prevent rusting.

There shouldn't be any protruding bolts or sharp corners on the equipment, and S-hooks should be completely closed. Also, there shouldn't be any openings between 3 1/2 inches and 9 inches to prevent children from getting their heads stuck in the equipment.

When on the playground, children should be taught the following some rules including:

-- Do not push or fight near or on equipment.

-- Take turns using equipment.

-- Walk around moving swings instead of in front of them. Be careful when walking near moving equipment.

Peiffer said many preschool-aged children aren't aware of other children playing around them and often run into moving swings.

-- Do not swing empty seats or twist swing chairs.

-- Sit properly on equipment and do not overcrowd.

-- Make sure your partner's feet are on the ground before getting off a seesaw.

-- Do not climb up slides.

-- Ask adults for help if there is a problem on the playground, such as a fight or an injury.

-- Do not wear clothing with draw strings, necklaces, scarves or other items around the neckline while using playground equipment.

Swimming

As the weather gets hotter, more children want to go swimming. And when more children want to go swimming, more drownings occur. Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and younger. The majority of these drownings occur between May and August. Children can drown in as little as 1 inch of water.

"You can't be too cautious in terms of watching children around water," said Sturm. Children try to do things other children are doing, things they might not be capable of doing.

To help prevent an accidental drowning, parents should follow these guidelines:

-- Never leave a child unsupervised in or around a swimming pool, spa, beach, lake, or other natural bodies of water.

-- Install four-sided fencing that is at least 5 feet high and equipped with self-closing and self-latching gates around swimming pools and spas.

-- Teach children how to swim. Peiffer said children as young as toddler age can be given swimming lessons, and there are even water programs for babies in Cape Girardeau.

-- Teach children water safety habits, such as not running, pushing others, jumping on others, diving or jumping in shallow water or swimming during lightening storms or other bad weather.

-- Keep a phone, emergency phone numbers and rescue equipment pool side.

-- Mark the deep and shallow ends of a pool.

-- Place a tamper-proof cover over the pool when not in use.

-- Remove step to above-ground pools when not in use.

-- Empty inflatable pools and store out of children's reach when not in use.

-- Make sure children wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal floating devices (PFDs) when on a boat and in or near natural bodies of water.