By Joy Pierce Mathews for Summit Medical Group

Summit Medical Group wishes you
a safe and happy July 4th holiday!
 

We will be closed July 4, 2012, with these exceptions:

Urgent Care Center:  8 AM to 5 PM
On Call service:  9 AM to 5 PM
Pediatric After Hours:  9 AM to 5 PM
Walgreens Pharmacy: 9 AM to 5 PM
 

We will resume our normal hours
of operation
on Thursday, July 5.
 

To stay safe with fireworks:

• Attend a professional public fireworks display. Do not use fireworks on your own 
• Do not pick up potentially active fireworks that have fallen on the ground after the display
• Remember that water boils at 212°F, cakes bake at 350°F, glass melts at 900°F, and sparklers burn at over 1200°F!
  Closely supervise anyone using sparklers
• Never use sparklers or other fireworks indoors

To stay safe at the beach, pool, lake, and river:

• Enter water feet first to avoid head and neck injuries, unless you are certain of the depth 
• Avoid the ocean when there are warnings for rip currents. Rip currents can pull you away from the shore. If you are unexpectedly caught in a rip current, remain calm and allow yourself to float away from the beach, swim parallel to the shore until the current releases you, and then swim toward shore
  Signs of a rip current include:
  • Visible channel of churning, choppy water
  • A line of sea foam, seaweed, or debris moving steadily seaward
  • Different colored water beyond the surf zone
  • A break in the incoming wave pattern as waves roll onto the the shore
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids (floaties), which can give you a false sense of security
• Swim only at beaches with lifeguards on duty
• Avoid pools and spas with broken, missing, and out-of-date drain covers
• Avoid climbing, walking, and fishing on jetties 
• Do not use a propane tank that is rusted, dented, or damaged
• Check your grill for gas leaks and blockages that old food, grease, and insects can cause. Put soap suds on the gas connections to see if bubbles appear, highlighting a leak. If you have a leak, turn of the gas immediately
• Use only a small amount of lighter fluid on coal grills
• Soak coals in water before putting them in the trash to ensure they are no longer smoldering
• Light gas grills with the lid open to prevent gas build up and an unexpected flash explosion that can cause serious injuries
• Follow food safety tips to avoid food-borne illnesses. The US FDA recommends never leaving food out more than 2 hours. If it is 90F or hotter outside, do not leave food out for more than 1 hour 
• Keep a fire extinguisher handy

To keep your home safe:

• Do not post your holiday and vacation plans on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media sites. Burglars sometimes use social networking sites to find victims
• Do not leave ladders and tools outside your home. Doing so can trigger a burglar's impulse to break in
• Do not leave your garage door open where burglars can see your belongings
• Light the exterior (especially the sides and back) of your home to deter burglars
• Alert your neighbors to watch your house when you are away. Ask them to collect your mail and newspapers every day
• Lock all, including second-floor windows. Burglars often target homes where second floor windows are open. Burglar alarms usually do not activate except on the ground floor

DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!

DON'T DRINK AND DIVE!

AND REMEMBER, IF YOU DRINK, YOU SINK!