Enjoy the Rest of Your Summer
By Andrew J. Pisani
July will soon be a memory, but we still have the full month of August to enjoy the glorious days of summer. Beaches and picnics. Barbecues and baseball. Vacation. With the kids off from school, bicycles and skateboards fill the streets, along with the sound of children’s laughter.
As you enjoy the summer season, please do so responsibly. The news is full of summer tragedies and as your NYC building permit expediter, we want you and your family to stay safe.
Keep the following summer safety tips in mind:
- Never leave kids unattended near a pool. In fact, watch children whenever they are in or around water. Small children should remain within arm’s reach of an adult.
- When taking children to a playground, check the equipment for hazards, like protrusions, sharp edges, and platforms without guardrails. Even though today’s playgrounds are much safer than the ones we grew up with, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that emergency departments still see more than 20,000 children for playground-related traumatic brain injuries every year.
- Heading out on the water? Wear life jackets, and please don’t add alcohol, which impairs vision, balance, and judgment.
- Always wear helmets when riding a bicycle. This rule applies to kids and adults. According to the National Safety Council, helmets reduce the risk of head injury and brain injury by roughly 60%.
- Drink plenty of water during outside activities to avoid heat-related injuries, like heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Finally, even after Labor Day rolls around and temperatures start to cool . . .
- Please don’t text and drive. Here in New York, distracted walking from cell phone use can be just as dangerous.
As for me, I’m kicking back on the porch and enjoying these summer storms. Enjoy the rest of your summer, all.