Most insect bites and stings are not serious,but some people may have an allergic reaction and sometimes, diseases can spread by insect bites. If bitten or stung, follow the tips below:
IF BITTEN OR STUNG
If bitten by a mosquito, try not to scratch. Scratching irritates the bite and may cause infection. Contact the doctor if you have flu-like symptoms and suspect West Nile virus.
Remove ticks with tweezers as soon as they are found. Grab them as close to the skin as possible and pull the tick up and out.
See a doctor if symptoms of Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever appear. Symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, aches and fatigue. There may also be a bull's-eye rash around the site of the bite. Symptoms of Rocky Mountain spotted fever include fever, aches, nausea and vomiting.
If stung by a honeybee, do not pull the stinger out. Honeybee stingers have a small hook at the end. They will eventually fall out on their own.
If stung by a wasp or hornet, leave the area immediately. These insects can sting repeatedly. Gently scrape the stinger off using the edge of a credit card or your fingernail. You might squeeze more venom into the skin if you use tweezers.
Bee, wasp and hornet stings may feel hot and itch. A red bump or swelling may appear where the sting was. Treat bee and wasp stings by washing the area with soap and water, then applying cold water or ice.
If there appears to be an allergic reaction to a sting--hives, nausea, fever or trouble breathing--go to the emergency room.
If bitten by a black widow or brown recluse spider, go to the emergency room.
Jerry Mulick - Safety Chairman
Sun Exposure
Exposure to sunlight is good for you. It prevents vitamin D deficiency in the body. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of diseases, hormonal imbalances, depression, osteoporosis, and even some forms of cancer. Sun exposure also has its downside, as it is linked to skin cancer. So enjoy some time in the sun --and use some form of sun protection.
TYPES OF SUN PROTECTION
DIET - You can boost your internal resistance to some sun damage by changing what you eat. Antioxidant-rich foods and the supplement astaxanthin, for example, will boost your natural resistance to sunburn.
SUNSCREEN - The best sunscreen products are broad-spectrum, perfumefree, and mineral-based with a SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15 but not higher than 50. Avoid sprays.
AVOIDANCE - Limiting time in the sun is important even when using other forms of sun protection
HOW TO APPLY SUNSCREEN
Apply sunscreen generously, making sure you cover all exposed areas especially your face, nose, ears, feet, hands and the back of your knees, and rub it in well.
Put sunscreen on 15 to 30 minutes before going outdoors so it has time to absorb into the skin.
Use sunscreen any time you spend time outdoors. Remember that you can get sunburn even on cloudy days because up to 80% of the suns UV rays can get through the clouds. Also, UV rays can bounce back from water, sand, snow, and concrete, so make sure you and your children are protected.
Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours and after swimming, sweating or drying off with a towel.
SOOTHING SUNBURNS
Use aloe vera plant or aloe vera plant based lotions.
Drink water or 100% fruit juice to replace lost fluids.
Run cool water over the burn.
Ibuprofen or acetaminophen can provide some relief for painful sunburns.
Medicated lotions can be used with a doctor's approval.
Stay out of the sun until the sunburn is fully healed.
Jerry Mulick - Safety Chairman
Safety in Driving
Unchecked emotions can lead to aggressive driving and even road rage. Here are some tips to identify dangerous habits and how to prevent them.
AGGRESSIVE DRIVING
Speeding, weaving, tailgating
Changing lanes without signaling
Cutting in front of someone and then slowing down
Running a red light
Blocking cars attempting to pass or change lanes
ROAD RAGE
Cursing and making rude or obscene gestures
Throwing objects
Ramming or sideswiping another vehicle
Forcing a driver off the road
SAFETY TIPS
Monitor your driving habits and always try to be a better driver
Don't offend: Don't intentionally force another driver to brake or turn in response to your driving.
Be tolerant and forgiving: Don't take it personally if the driver of a vehicle is tailgating or cuts you off. The other driver may just be having a bad day.
DO NOT RESPOND
Avoid eye contact with an aggressive driver, don't make gestures, maintain space around your vehicle and call 911 if you believe you're in danger.
Drive safe out there!
Ed Harms - Safety Chairman
Caravan Safety
Being in a caravan doesn’t increase your safety on the road, it can increase your risk. Here are some important tips…
Keep a safe interval, depending on conditions, without dropping back. (Recommended interval is 3 seconds) Remember, you have a line of cars that will have to rush to catch up when the leader picks up the pace if you’re behind. This causes an unsafe “whiplash” effect.
Let a metal car pass and/or get in the line when they want to. Other cars on the road can be very discouraged or challenged by a long caravan and we can’t control other drivers. Safety first!
Don’t “follow the leader” if conditions don’t lend themselves to a safe move for you. Instead, wait until it is safe to follow; remember, you can always get back into the caravan further up…we’ll let you in!
Although we enjoy “pedal to the metal” when traveling alone, a string of Corvettes makes a great target and the sheer number of cars might dictate a slower speed. This is especially true in congested areas/towns.
When appropriate, we’ll “play”, especially on back roads, but you should drive at your comfort level keeping interval in mind.
It is courteous to change positions in a caravan from time to time. It is much easier to be right behind the leader than at the end of the line, so give everyone a turn. Be aware of the cars just in front of you and behind you so you can report if they have a problem.
Help the caboose; they have a huge responsibility to keep the caravan safe. The tighter a caravan rides, remembering safe intervals, the less difficult it is to keep everyone together.
When we come in towns and have a 4-lane road with stoplights, it is helpful to take both lanes. After the light, merge back into one line.
When the leader indicates they are going to change lanes and you are near the back of the caravan, move over when it is safe; this makes it easier for all the cars in front of you to change lanes.
If you need/want to leave the caravan for any reason, notify the leader and caboose first…perhaps it’s time for everyone to take a break. We won’t worry if we know why you left and you can catch up later.
Keep your FRS radio on channel 11-0 for directions and safety warnings.
Put your parking/road lights on to increase visibility.
Ed Harms - Safety Chairman
Yikes! Potholes!
Defensive driving takes on a whole new importance this time of year.
Potholes pose a real danger to your tires, your rims and your suspension It can be an expensive proposition. Keeping tires properly inflated can help ward off damage.
Another real danger is zigzagging to miss the pothole. If you don’t take the time to look before you move you can cross into another lane, or worse, hit another vehicle. It can happen very fast.
Even more unpredictable is the other drivers on the road. They may swerve to avoid a pothole and go right into your lane. So be very careful out there and keep your eyes on the road. Especially this time of the year.
Ed Harms - Safety Chairman
Heart Attacks in Women
It’s very important for women to be aware that the symptoms they experience may not be anything like men.
Men may have a sudden stabbing pain in the chest and cold sweats, grabbing the chest & dropping to the floor. Women may experience something totally different. Below is the story of one woman who experienced a heart attack without any previous symptoms.
--- I had a heart attack at about 10:30 PM with NO prior exertion and NO prior emotional trauma that one would suspect might have brought it on. I was sitting all snugly & warm on a cold evening, thinking, 'A-A-h, this is the life.
A moment later, I felt that awful sensation of indigestion but hadn't’t had a bite since about 5:00 PM. After it seemed to subside, the next sensation was like little squeezing motions that seemed to be racing up my spine gaining speed as they continued racing up and under my breast bone.
This fascinating process traveled into my throat and branched out into both jaws. 'AHA!! NOW I stopped puzzling about what was happening -- we all have read and/or heard about pain in the jaws being one of the signals of an MI happening, haven't we? I said aloud to myself, Dear God, I think I'm having a heart attack!
I got up and started to take a step and fell on the floor instead. I thought to myself, if this is a heart attack, I shouldn't be walking into the next room but, on the other hand, if I don't, nobody will know that I need help.
I walked slowly into the next room and dialed 911. I told her I thought I was having a heart attack. She said she was sending the paramedics over immediately, asked if the front door was near to me, and if so, to un-bolt the door and then lie down on the floor where they could see me when they came in.
I unlocked the door and then laid down on the floor as instructed and lost consciousness. I don't remember anything until I woke up in the hospital. I did not wake up again until the Cardiologist had threaded the teeny angiogram balloon up my femoral artery into the aorta and into my heart where they installed 2 stints to hold open my right coronary artery.
I know it sounds like all my thinking and actions at home must have taken at least 20-30 minutes before calling the paramedics, but it took perhaps 4-5 minutes before the call, and the fire station and hospital are only minutes away from my home. My Dr. was ready to go and got going on restarting my heart which had stopped somewhere between my arrival and installing the stents.
This is what I learned firsthand and every woman needs to know:
1. Be aware that something very different is happening in your body. Many more women than men die of their first (and last) MI because they didn't know they were having one. My female friends, your symptoms might not be exactly like mine, so I advise you to call the Paramedics if ANYTHING unpleasant happens that you've not felt before. It is better to have a 'false alarm' visitation than to risk your life guessing what it might be!
2. Note I said 'Call the Paramedics.' And if you can, take an aspirin. Ladies, TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
- Do NOT try to drive yourself to the ER - you are a hazard to others on the road.
- Do NOT have someone else drive you – they will panic.
- Do NOT call your doctor. He can’t get to you and won’t have the equipment he needs. The paramedics will call him for you.
3. Don't assume it couldn't be a heart attack because you have a normal cholesterol count. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep.
Special Note…You can use Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant to call 911 for you!
Let's be careful and be aware. The more you know, the better chance you have of survival.
Ed Harms - Safety Chairman
Caravan Reminders
Being in a caravan doesn’t increase your safety on the road and can actually increase your risk. Here are some of the dos and don’ts…
Keep a safe interval, depending on conditions, without lagging behind. (Recommended distance is 3 seconds) Remember, you havea line of cars that will have to rush to catch up when the leader picks up the pace if you’re behind. This causes an unsafe “whiplash” effect.
Let a metal car pass and/or get in line when they have a need to. Other cars on the road can be very discouraged or challenged by a long caravan and we can’t control other drivers.
Don’t “follow the leader” if conditions don’t lend themselves to a safe move for you. Instead, wait until it is safe to follow; remember, you can always get back into a caravan further up…we’ll let you in!
Although we enjoy “pedal to the metal” when traveling alone, a string of Corvettes makes a great target and the sheer number of cars might dictate a slower speed. This is especially true in congested areas/towns.
When appropriate, we’ll “play”, especially on squiggly roads, but you should drive at your comfort level keeping interval in mind.
It is courteous to change positions in a caravan from time to time. It is much easier to be right behind the leader than at the end of the line, so give everyone a turn. Be aware of which car is just in front of you and behind you so you can report if they have a problem.
Help the caboose; they have a huge responsibility to keep the caravan safe. The tighter a caravan rides, remembering safe intervals, the less difficult it is to keep everyone together.
When we come in towns and have a 4-lane road with stoplights, it is helpful to take both lanes. After the light, merge back into one line.
When the leader indicates they are going to change lanes and you are near the back of the caravan, move over when it is safe; this makes it easier for all the cars in front of you to change lanes.
If you need/want to leave the caravan for any reason, notify the leader and caboose first…perhaps it’s time for everyone to take a break. We won’t worry if we know why you left.
Keep your FRS radio (tuned to 11-0) handy for directions and safety warnings.
Put your parking/road lights on to increase visibility.
