Whatever you do this summer, stay safe

LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFPN) -- Each year, the Air Force stresses the importance of zero mishaps during the 101 Critical Days of Summer through PowerPoint slides, commander’s calls and safety briefings. For the most part, Airmen do their part to put safety at the forefront.

But what about those safety issues that tend to fall through the cracks, such as salt deficiency, ticks, mixing alcohol and energy drinks, or driving while talking on a cell phone?

Cell phones and driving

You see it every day while driving: that one driver weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating vehicles and rolling through stop signs because he or she was busy talking on a cell phone instead of paying attention to the road. Here are a few tips to avoid being “that guy”:

Never talk on a cell phone while driving on military installations unless you want three points added to your driving record.

When available, use a hands-free device.

Suspend conversations during bumper-to-bumper traffic and hazardous driving conditions.

Position your cell phone within easy reach.

Hyponatremia (salt deficiency)

As the weather warms, outdoor sports like football, soccer, running and beach volleyball become favorite pastimes. With each sport comes a risk -- not just a muscular injury or broken bone, but a risk of sodium depletion.

Each time an athlete sweats, he or she is losing water and salt. If the salt is not replenished with a sodium-enriched snack or sports drink, the athlete runs a risk of hyponatremia. Symptoms include nausea, muscle cramps, disorientation, slurred speech, confusion and inappropriate behavior. If the condition is not treated, it could progress to seizures, coma or death.

To prevent hyponatremia, remember to hydrate an hour before working out or engaging in sports, and hydrate frequently while active. Sodium-rich foods include pretzels, saltines and wheat crackers.

Ticks

When camping or hiking in the woods this summer, wear long pants and take along a can of tick-and-insect repellant. Ticks prefer to inhabit long grass, fields, wooded areas, weeds and brush and attach themselves to small pets and people.

Be sure to inspect all family members and pets after returning from a tick-infested area and promptly remove any ticks with a pair of tweezers. Be sure to pull at the base of skin to avoid leaving the head attached to the skin. Wash the skin, apply antibiotic and cover with a bandage to avoid infection.

Be cautious when entering potentially tick-infested areas. Some ticks are known to carry Lyme disease. While most symptoms of Lyme disease mimic the common flu, the most obvious is a circular or oval-shaped red rash in the area of the bite. Bite victims should consult a doctor immediately if they incur any of the above symptoms.

Alcohol, energy drinks

The summer weather can mean long days at the beach and parties into the early morning. Some may think about adding a kick to their alcoholic beverage to keep them from dozing off too early. Energy drinks seem to be a mix of choice for some.

However, mixing alcohol with energy drinks can make for a life-threatening cocktail. Each of the drinks was designed to produce a very different effect. Alcohol is a depressant and impairs judgment, while energy drinks are designed to improve reaction time and performance.

When mixed and consumed, the combination can impair motor coordination, silence inhibitions and make one think the alcohol does not affect him or her.

In fact, medical sources say that when any alcoholic beverage is mixed or chased with caffeine, alcohol is processed quicker, and the effects are intensified. So consumers should avoid any activities requiring motor coordination, such as driving and operating machinery, until the alcohol has passed through the system.