How to safely celebrate Fourth of July this summer

Since April, over 166 heat-related incidents in Austin had occurred as of June 21, said Robert Luckritz, chief of Austin-Travis County EMS. An average of 702 deaths occur each year nationally due to heat, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Heat-related illness is on a spectrum,” Nijjar said. “So it can go anywhere from just swelling over your hands and feet—which is called heat edema—all the way up to heatstroke, which is basically symptoms of a stroke because you've been in the heat for too long. And that's life threatening, and that's something to be evaluated in the emergency department for.”

Signs your body may need to cool off include sweating, nausea and cramping. Symptoms can also progress to confusion or no longer being able to sweat, at which point someone would need to see a doctor.

“If you're going to be outside and you're planning on being outside for the majority of the day, I would recommend taking frequent breaks,” Nijjar said. “Maybe every two hours or so going inside or going into a shaded location where you're away from the direct sunlight will help and then staying on top of your fluids.”

When sweating in the heat, a body loses a lot of salt and needs to replace electrolytes. Drinking electrolyte solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or Pedialyte, can help with this, Nijjar said.

Food safety

Food should be kept in a cold environment until ready to eat, rather than outside, and shouldn’t be left in the Texas heat for over an hour.

“There's only a certain temperature that different foods are good at,” Nijjar said. “If it's left out too long, it can grow bacteria that can cause a bacterial illness.”

An immediate reaction to food that’s developed bacteria is called food intoxication, but some bacteria can cause symptoms hours or even a day after consumption, Nijjar said.

The internal temperature of meat can be checked with a thermometer, and cooked food should not be placed on the same surface that once held raw meat.

“Generally meat and then things like potato salad are common summer foods that can have illness associated with it,” Nijjar said.

Swim safety

To prevent drowning, avoid swimming alone and ensure someone is supervising children in a pool or lake.

“Drowning is sometimes a silent ailment,” Nijjar said. “You might not notice someone shouting so just be vigilant. It is something that can happen and can be devastating.”

Less experienced swimmers are encouraged to wear life jackets when in the water. Some Travis County parks have places to borrow a life jacket for use.

Are you spending the weekend on the water?

You can borrow a lifejacket from one of our loaner stations at areas like Mansfield Dam Park, Bob Wentz Park, and Arkansas Bend Park! Swim safely, #TravisCounty! pic.twitter.com/BNkVqyW4bQ

Consuming alcohol can be dangerous while swimming and can also put someone at higher risk of dehydrating if not drinking water simultaneously, Nijjar said.

“Drinking is always going to impair first of all your judgment, and then it's going to put you at higher risk for those outdoor-related things as well,” Nijjar said. “So in service of judgment, you're gonna have a higher risk of car accidents or risk of drowning.”

Firework safety

Fireworks can commonly cause injuries to hands when being held up as well as to the face, eyes and feet.

“There is no safe way to hold a firework, Nijjar said. “On the ground probably is the best way to have a firework.”

According to a 2021 study on firework-related deaths and injuries by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 11,500 injuries related to fireworks occurred that year.

“Males between the ages of 18-35 have a higher risk of thermal-related injuries, and that would include fireworks, and 70% of burns that we see are generally male,” Nijjar said.

Tips to safely handle fireworks

• Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers.
• Use a bucket of water or hose in case of fire, and place used fireworks and sparklers in a water bucket or spray with a hose before disposal.
• Light fireworks one at a time, and back up after igniting a firework.
• Do not pick up or attempt to reignite a firework that did not light correctly.
• Never point or throw a firework or sparkler at someone.
• Never place any part of your body directly over a device when lighting it.
• Never use fireworks while intoxicated.