COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL JULY 12, 2017
9A
Are you ready?
D ISASTER P REPAREDNESS
Carnival safety tips ahead of Bohemia Mining Days
Stay safe and healthy this BMD weekend
Provided by metrocreativeconections
Carnivals, county fairs and
street festivals can make for fun
family outings. The nice weath-
er just beckons people outdoors,
and weekend after weekend
resourceful carnival goers can
probably fi nd a fair nearby. But
revelers need to make sure their
experiences are as safe as they
are fun.
The Outdoor Amusement
Business Association estimates
500 million guests visit carni-
vals, fairs and festivals each
year. More than half of them
participate in mobile amuse-
ment rides, among other recre-
ational pursuits. Such pursuits
can not only be fun, but they
also can be dangerous, espe-
cially for young children. As a
result, parents taking their kids
along to enjoy this wholesome
fun should consider the follow-
ing precautions.
* Be prepared. Research the
fair or carnival and know what
to expect when you arrive. How
big is it? What are the types of
attractions and what vendors
will be included? What is the
parking situation? Are strollers
allowed? Knowing what to ex-
pect can make the occasion a
little less stressful. If your child
is old enough to understand,
explain what the fair entails
and how it can be crowded and
noisy.
* Dress for the weather. It is
important to wear sturdy, com-
fortable footwear. Many carni-
vals are set up in fi elds or empty
parking lots. There will be a lot
of walking, and you want to be
sure you are comfortable. Check
the weather before going and
dress for the temperature. Wear
hats to shield your faces from
the sun and lather on plenty of
sunblock for protection. Avoid
wearing any dangling clothes
and jewelry. Tie back long hair
to reduce your risk of accidents
on rides.
* Identify security guards or
a security kiosk upon entering.
Let children know where safety
personnel are stationed. Estab-
lish a meet-up point that is very
conspicuous should anyone get
separated from the group. This
central location will be checked
fi rst and should be easily iden-
tifi able for young children. In-
struct the child to stay there un-
til you fi nd him or her.
* Put your mobile phone num-
ber in your child's pocket. Put
your name or "Mom/Dad" on
a sheet of paper with a contact
number and put it in your son
or daughter's pocket. Should he
or she get lost, the child can ap-
proach a security guard and give
that person your phone number.
* Take a current photo of the
kids. Use your smartphone or
camera to snap a picture of your
children when you arrive at the
event. This way you will have a
method of helping others identi-
fy them should they get lost.
* Observe the rides in ad-
vance. Watch rides before you
get in line to try them out. Fig-
ure out if it is appropriate for a
child and acclimate anyone who
is nervous. Carnival rides often
have a "you must be this tall
to ride" sign at their entrance
gates.
* Look for inspection stick-
ers. Carnival rides often have
to be inspected for safety. If the
ride doesn't have a current in-
spection sticker, don't ride it.
* Stay hydrated. Pack plen-
ty of bottled water for the day.
Fairs make a lot of money on
concession sales, and buying
beverages all day can get expen-
sive. Dehydration is common
when spending hours outdoors
in warm weather. It can make a
person dizzy and feeling sick to
their stomach. If you feel thirsty,
you already are dehydrated.
* Eat light. If you will be rid-
ing a lot of rides, it's better to eat
light meals beforehand. Heavy,
greasy foods in your stomach
coupled with motion sickness
can lead to trouble. Wait until
after you have gotten your fi ll
of the rides before indulging in
funnel cake.
* Stick together. It can be
tempting to separate when you
get to the carnival, as older chil-
dren may not be interested in
the same rides as their younger
siblings. But separating increas-
es the risk of someone getting
lost.
* Seek shelter in a storm.
Thunderstorms can roll in unex-
pectedly. Remember, lightning
will seek the easiest method to
reaching the ground. Tall rides
could be strike points. Get out
of the weather and move in-
doors or to a car if possible.
Carnivals and fairs are staples
of the warm-weather season
across the country. These enjoy-
able outings are even more fun
when families play it safe.
Safe campfi re tips
After building your campfi re, completely put it out when you are done. Thousands of acres of wilder-
ness are burnt from carelessness with regard to campfi res.
* Put out the fi re a half hour to an hour before you plan to leave the campground. There should be
mostly ash and few chunks of coal left if you have planned accordingly and started to wind down the
fi re before extinguishing it.
* Use a stick to stir up the wood and ash and distribute the burning coals and embers. This is to ex-
tinguish any remaining fl ames as much as you can.
* Pour water over the hot ashes to drown all embers. It's not just the red embers you have to worry
about. Pour water until all the hissing sounds stop. Avoid standing directly above the fi re when you pour
the water because it will generate a lot of steam and smoke. If you do not have water on hand, mix dirt
or sand with the embers to smother the fl ames. Continue to do so until the material is cool.
* Stir the ashes again with a shovel or stick to further ensure the fi re is not still burning.
* Make sure everything is wet and cold to the touch before you leave the campsite. If the fi re area is
too hot to the touch, it's too hot to leave it because a fi re may reignite.
* Once you feel that everything is cool, you can scoop the coals and ash into a bag and carry it out
of the woods for disposal.
W I L D F I R E
S A F E T Y
TIPS & COLORING ACTIVITY
Fire Prevention with Campfi re Safety
I
n the United States, nearly nine out of 10
wildfi res are caused by people not being
careful. Help Smokey prevent these types of
fi res by learning to be careful and helping oth-
ers do the same. Make sure that the grownups
building your next campfi re follow all the rules
below, and tell them to check out Campfi re
Safety to learn even more. Make sure you are
at a site that allows campfi res Make sure there
are no burn bans and it’s not too windy Dig a pit
away from overhanging branches Circle the pit
Th is message brought to you by these sponsors:
Lion’s Mane
Jim Th orpe Lumber Products
Kimwood
South Lane County Fire and Rescue
Joseph Osborn Plumbing
Th e Tractor Store
Hitch Pro & Tow
Fountain Gutters
Brooks Auto Parts
Tax Advantage
Brad’s Cottage Grove Chevrolet
Cascade Home Center
Cottage Grove Sentinel
with rocks Clear a 10-foot area around the pit
down to the dirt, removing anything that could
catch on fi re Stack extra wood upwind and away
from fi re Aft er lighting, throw the match into
the fi re Never leave a campfi re unattended; an
adult should supervise the campfi re at all times
Keep a bucket of water and shovel nearby Never
put anything but wood into the fi re Do not pull
sticks out of the fi re Do not sit on the fi re ring
or rocks around the campfi re. Th ey will heat
up quickly and they’ll stay hot for a long time
When it’s time to put the fi re out, dump lots of
water on it, stir it with a shovel, then dump more
water on it. Make sure it is COLD before leaving
the campsite. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot
to leave! And remember, Smokey’s friends nev-
er play with matches, lighters, lighter fl uid or
other fl ammable liquids. If you fi nd any of these
items, tell a grownup where they are. If you see
younger children playing with them, tell them
to stop, and then tell a grownup. Kids who help
prevent wildfi res deserve a Smokey Bear Hug.