Students in Bossier and Caddo parishes have only about one month more of summer vacationbut as the annual break draws to a close, local expertswant to remind parents and children that safety is still toppriority.
Holly Liles,University Health in Shreveport;Brian Griffith, Bossier City Fire Department and Kim Coburn,Bossier Parish EMS, believe many injuries are preventable wheneveryone works together,uses common sense and pays attention to a few simple tips to prevent injuries.Later this month, the Caddo Parish Sheriff's office willprovidea one-day safety training targeted at students leaving for college.
Liles, a former pediatric nurse, likes focusing her attention on educating children toteach positive habits thatthey can carry with them into their later years.
“I love working with children more because we can change their behavior now versus trying to change their behavior in adulthood,” Liles said.
Distracted and impaired driving
During the month of April, University Health treated a total of 30 pediatric patients aged six months to 18-years-old for a variety of trauma-related injuries. Seven of those patients were seen for injuries sustained as passengers in cars involved in collisions. Onewas injured when hit by a car.
With more than 20 percent of pediatric trauma cases involving motor vehicles, driving is an area Liles stresses as one everyone should closely monitor.
Roughly 90 percent of the vehicle crashes seen at University Health involve alcohol or drugs. However, impaired driving can come in the form of many basic distractions – including cell phones, music and friends – thatoften lead to tragiccirc*mstances especially for younger drivers. Liles urged caution when behindthe wheel.
“Keep your eyes on the road,” Liles said. “That’s where they should be – they shouldn’t be with a cell phone in your hand.”
Liles also said having too many friends in a vehicle, playing with radio selections or even playingmusic too loud are all distractions thatcan have dastardly consequences, especially for younger drivers.
“Distracted driving is a form of impaired driving,” said Liles, who notes that alcohol and other mind-altering impairments remain the leading cause of deadly accidents.
A person operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .08 percent – anywhere from one to four drinks, depending on a person’s body weight – is 80 to 90 times more likely to have a crash, according toLiles.
In addition to alcohol, the trauma center at University Health sees accidents involving drivers under the influence of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamines. However, Liles said a more insidious and equally dangerous component is prescription medications. Many times drivers believe that he or she canoperate a car because they are taking medication under a doctor’s care – even when the prescription label warns against it.
“It doesn’t matter if you have a prescription, if you’re impaired, you don’t need to be behind the wheel of a car,” Liles said.
Water safety
"This year, we had a drowning at Cypress Lake — that was devastating," said Coburn, who has been a paramedic for 16 years.
Coburn said she has been pushing for swim safety this year and stressed that people who don't know how to swim shouldn't be out on the water without proper equipment.
She said life jackets should be approved by the Coast Guard for proper use.
"Floaties are not Coast Guard-approved," said Coburn, referencing the gear she often sees parents putting on their children and allowing them to float in the water. "They can deflate."
Liles said the top reason for children drowning is because they haven't been taught how to swim. She suggests parents make that priority before childrenare exposed to water – whether that exposure be for recreational swimming, boating or other sporting events on area waterways.
The leading cause of death for children aged one to four is drowning. It’s the second-leading cause of death for those aged 5 to 18.
“For every drowning death of anyone under the age of 14, another five are seen in emergency rooms for nearly drowning.
Another problem Liles said can lead to drowning is the improper use of life jackets or illfitting life jackets. She said it is imperative that anyone wearing a life jacket do so properly. Anyone who isn’t sure of the proper fit or usage should read theinstructions.
Heat safety
Liles said emergency rooms treat cases of dehydration and heat stroke on a regular basis, but both of these conditions are avoidable.
Symptoms of dehydration include excessive thirst, fatigue and altered mental status. A person experiencing heat stroke shows significant altered mental status and requires medical attention.
The Bossier City Fire Department suggests limiting outdoor activities to the morning and evening hours and reducingexercise.
"If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour," said Brian Griffith, a fire departmentspokesman.
The key to preventing either circ*mstance is proper hydration – making sure all lost fluids are continuously replaced.
“Kids don’t realize the amount of water loss they have, so we need to be sure they’re properly hydrated,” said Liles.
With recent tragedies describing incidents where children left in cars have died because of extreme interior temperatures, Liles said there are things parents can do to prevent more cases from happening.
“Especially if you’re changing your pattern, put something valuable up front in the car with you,” said Liles.
A cell phone, wallet, shoe or even the diaper bag is a visual cue to remind a parent they have a child in the backseat and they’re less likely to forget them when arriving at their destination.
"Parents don't think it will happen to them and children dehydrate three to five times faster than adults," said Coburn. "If you change your daily routine or you're tired or simply distracted and an infant is asleep in a rear-facing car seat, do something to remind yourself you have a child in the car."
Liles also said it helps many parents to have a call system in place in which the driving parent calls the other to let them know the child has just been dropped off at day care.
The month of August is typically the hottest month of the year in the area and Coburn stresses that it is the one month to spend more time indoors, especially the elderly.
"If you have to spend time outside, try to do it in the very early morning hours or later at night after the sun's gone down," said Coburn.
The fire department also recommends resting often in shady areas and protecting skin from sun burns and sun damage by wearing wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Safety for bikers
Liles believes many other accidents and injuries that come more frequently during summer months can be avoided byparents monitoring their children’s activities.
She stresses the importance of children wearing helmets when riding bikes and avoiding riding in the streets or near busy streets.
... and with Pokemon Go
With the Pokemon Gocraze currently sweeping the Shreveport-Bossier area, Liles said it has never been more important to use common sense.
Groups of young and old alike can be seen walking around various areas of town playing the game on their mobile phones.
MORE ON POKEMON GO: Official advice for Pokemon Go: Just use common sense
Liles encourages everyone playing to continue paying close attention to the world around them, especially when near busy roadways.
"If you're gonna play the game in a car, have a passenger use the phone while you play — avoid any dangerous areas," said Coburn.
Local law enforcement agencies remind everyone to remain vigilant and be aware of your surroundings during game play.
Safety course offered by Caddo Parish Sheriff's office
As the summer winds to a close and many area teenagers prepare to leave for college, Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator is offering a one-day safety course on July 29.
Young men and women 17 to21 years-old are encouraged to attend the course from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, July 29, at Sheriff’s Safety Town, 8910 Jewella Ave.
Crime prevention tips and safety techniques — especially for students entering college — will be presented by professional instructors and law enforcement officers.
"Participants will receive information on personal safety and self-defense, travel safety, distracted and impaired driving, protecting your identity and possessions, banking and finances, dating violence, sexual assault awareness, and drug and alcohol awareness," Prator said.
