Safety

Memorial Day seems to be the unofficial day to break out the watercrafts and boats. Before you get too far in the season, though, make sure you’ve done a thorough pre-season check. From the engine and propeller down to your trailer, a little preparation as you get your boat out of storage can help you start off the season right — and get the most out of your time on board.

Here are ten tips from Discover Boating to get you started:

1. Check your safety gear. Do you have enough life jackets? Are they in good shape? What about onboard fire extinguishers? Are your navigation lights working?

2. Consider adding safety items. Should disaster strike, an emergency position indicating radio beacon can help rescuers find you and your boat. If you have an enclosed space on the boat, you should have a carbon-monoxide detector.

3. Examine your fuel system. Any leaks or damage should be addressed immediately.

4. Look at all belts, hoses and cables. Those that appear brittle or cracked most likely need to be replaced.

5. Check fluid levels, such as engine oil. Change or add as needed.

6. Have your battery and electrical system checked. Look for corrosion on your electrical connections.

7. Make sure your propeller isn’t banged up. Dings and distortion can cause vibration, as well as damage your drive train.

 8. Look at the hull for blisters and cracks. Repair or patch damage, and make sure to use an environmentally safe solution when washing the exterior and interior.

9. Don’t forget the trailer. Treat your trailer with as much care as you show your boat. Inspect the hubs occasionally, and check your lights before every trip. If you go boating in salt water, give the trailer a very good rinse afterward.

10. Don’t forget insurance, either! It’s a good idea to check your coverage as you head into boating season, too. Just give us a call, and we can help you with a quick insurance review.

There’s nothing quite like a sunny – and safe – day on our lakes and rivers in Missouri. We’ll see you out there!

Your household may be one of the millions this fall in which student athletes are dreaming of victory on their school playing fields. Of course, we want to see them succeed, but we also want them to be safe.

So, here are seven tips for students, parents and school staff to keep in mind as the new season gets underway:

1. Start off on the right foot: All athletes need a preseason physical and should share any medical conditions with coaches. And, parents, don’t forget to provide your contact information and permission for emergency medical care.
2. Think about nutrition: A healthy diet offers plenty of complex carbohydrates, plus moderate amounts of protein, salt, sugars and sodium. Keep fat, saturated fat and cholesterol to a minimum.
3. Be smart about injuries: Athletic trainers and consulting physicians, not coaches, should decide whether athletes continue playing following an injury. Athletic staff needs to know how to use defibrillators and keep them nearby during both practice and games. Finally, athletes should always speak up about and seek medical attention for such symptoms as dizziness, memory loss, lightheadedness, fatigue or imbalance after a hit in the head or a fall. In most cases, they should not rejoin practice or play that same day.
4. Maintain equipment and facilities: Helmets and pads should be properly fitted; gymnastic apparatus well-maintained. Facilities must be kept clean.
5. Warm up, cool down: Always warm up and stretch before beginning activities. Cool down and stretch when finished, and take plenty of breaks in between.
6. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water (costly sports drinks aren’t usually necessary) before, during and after a workout or practice.
7. Build up a heat tolerance: To avoid heat illnesses, especially in sports requiring protective equipment, start slowly and build up to more intensive training requiring the full gear.

We hope these tips help set up your student athletes for success this season. We’ll be rooting for them!

Each year, tens of millions of kids head off to school with backpacks full of books and supplies, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association. Thousands of those kids will end up with injuries caused by their backpack.

It sounds ridiculous, but imagine an 80-pound child carrying a 20-pound backpack (yes, it happens). How well would your back hold up lugging around 25% of your weight in books every day?

Fortunately, more and more parents — and schools — are aware of the damage heavy backpacks can cause. Here are five things the National Safety Council says you can do to make sure your student’s academic workload doesn’t turn into a physical one as well:

1. Watch for warning signs. A backpack might be too heavy if your child struggles to put it on or take it off, changes posture while wearing it or feels pain, tingling or numbness.
2. Check the weight. A good rule of thumb: Kids’ backpacks should not weigh more than 5 to 10 percent of their body weight. Any more than that and they run the risk of bending forward while carrying it, which can put stress on the back, according to the American Chiropractic Association.
3. Get the right pack. The fit of a backpack is extremely important. Shoulder straps should be wide and padded for comfort, and the pack should never hang more than four inches below the waistline. A comfortable backpack encourages proper use, so that kids aren’t carrying packs around by one strap, which can lead to neck or back problems. And watch the size, too! Getting a backpack with too much room can encourage overloading.
4. Don’t just throw stuff in. Make sure kids put some thought into what they pack. They should only carry what they need for the day and leave things they don’t need at home. And pack it well. Distributing weight evenly increases comfort and safety.
5. Be vocal. Talk to your child’s teacher or a school administrator if you need help getting the weight down. There may be solutions, such as bringing home handouts or workbooks instead of heavy textbooks.

A little bit of thought can make a big difference when it comes to backpack safety. And those lighter loads make for happier — and healthier — kids. Here’s to a great school year!

A warm evening in Missouri can be a wonderful time for a cruise on your boat. But, just like when you’re driving a car after sundown, it’s important to make some adjustments to keep yourself and others safe.

Here are some tips to ensure you’ll make it back to shore to enjoy the rest of your evening:

Before You Get on the Boat

Know where you’re going. Everything looks different when it’s dark, so stick to familiar places when you’re on the water at night. A GPS device and a good old-fashioned compass are good things to have on hand to help with navigation.

Make sure someone else knows where you’re going. Give a “float plan” to a trusted friend or family member. Include your intended route, your boat’s registration details and description, the names of passengers and when you plan to return. Nobody will know if you’re missing if they don’t know you’re gone!

Have the right safety equipment. You need navigation lights that work (test them before you go), a horn or other sound-producing device, a radio, a flashlight, flares and fire extinguishers. And don’t forget life jackets — for everyone on board.

Check the forecast and your fuel. Getting caught in a storm or running out of fuel can be even more dangerous and troublesome at night. Visibility is already hampered, and a storm will only make things worse. If you’re stranded without fuel, help may take longer to respond.

Once You’re Afloat

Watch your speed. You can’t see as well at night, and there’s no road to give you an indication of where other vehicles and obstacles might appear suddenly. Take it slow, and always obey speed limits.

Watch the lights. You should already know what the lights on other boats indicate — now you have to look for them. Lights from anchored or drifting boats can be particularly difficult to differentiate from lights onshore.

Avoid distractions — and drinking. Drinking while operating a boat puts you and other people at risk, so don’t do it. And, since your vision is limited at night, sound becomes more important. A loud stereo could drown out the horn of an approaching boat.

Above all, remember that it’s not just you out there. There may be all kinds of vessels in the water, depending on where you are, from commercial ships to kayaks. So be mindful of the right-of-way rules, keep your distance when passing others and be courteous.

There’s room for everyone on the water, as long as you keep an eye out for each other!

When the temperature heats up, all you can think about is swimming at the pool or even taking a dip in one of the many rivers and lakes around St. Louis. Just remember: Where there’s water, there’s risk.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t jump in (carefully) and have some fun with family and friends. It just means you should keep these safety tips in mind any time you take a dip:

1. Don’t go it alone. Swim only in designated areas, with a lifeguard if possible, and use the buddy system – even adults shouldn’t swim when no one else is around. As for children, they should never be left unattended in or near the water or supervised by another child.
2. Mind the rules. If an area forbids diving or is closed for swimming, that means it’s unsafe to do so. Save yourself a trip to the hospital and follow all posted rules and warnings.
3. Keep away from drains. In a pool or spa, a drain’s powerful suction can trap children and adults. Be sure everyone knows to keep their distance. The same goes for riptides and currents if you’re in an open body of water.
4. Know how to respond. When someone is missing, especially a child, always check the water first. Learn CPR and other skills that can save lives.
5. Use common sense. Don’t use drugs or alcohol during water activities. Do have life jackets for inexperienced swimmers, and keep plenty of sunscreen and water on hand to help everyone beat the heat.
6. Alert a lifeguard if you see someone struggling. Alternately, you could throw the person a floating object or reach out with a long object.

With a little caution, and a whole lot of supervision, you can help ensure your day at the pool or lake goes swimmingly. Have fun getting wet!