Staying Safe for the Fourth

With the Fourth of July in our sights, folks across the Island are planning for good times. There are fantastic art shows, amazing concerts, not to mention parades and family barbecues. But with all this planning for good times, there is some other planning that must be done. How do we plan to keep ourselves and our kids safe?

Every holiday can be used as an excuse to overdo it, but Independence Day, with its fireworks and traditions of large consumptions of alcohol, means even more chances for dangerous accidents. Keeping the alcohol out of our teenagers' hands seems to be a no-brainer, but apparently not. As is to be expected, there have been a handful of court appearances just in the past couple weeks for people supplying alcohol to minors and holding house parties.

So how do we make sure our kids are safe if other people aren't doing the same? What steps do we need to take to monitor ourselves so that we have fun, but aren't putting ourselves or anyone else at risk?

According to Anthony Piland, Physician Assistant in the Emergency Room of the Martha's Vineyard Hospital, "A major concern is fireworks burns. This is a common injury seen in the ER despite fireworks being illegal in Massachusetts. So we really discourage any use of fireworks unless you are a licensed professional. Also, we see burns from barbecuing, so you want to be sure you are using grills and gas safety."

Since people are drinking more, according to Piland, "we see a lot of injuries with mopeds and bicycles. If you're drinking, not only should you not drive a car, but don't get on a bike or moped, either." Another big one is dehydration. "People get dehydrated, not just from hot weather, but also from drinking, so keep yourself hydrated." Finally, Piland advises that, "if you know you have an allergy to bees, have your epipen or your benedryl with you. And as always, since this is the Vineyard, check yourself for ticks."

What advice do you have about how to celebrate . . . in moderation?