Public Safety Director's Spotlight - Summer Safety Tips for Kids

Summer Safety Tips for Kids

According to the National Safe Kids Campaign, every year one in four kids ages 14 and younger will sustain an injury that requires medical attention and 40% of those injury-related emergency room visits will happen between May and August.  The good news is that we can keep our kids free from about 90% of these accidents by educating ourselves and our kids on how to stay safe while still enjoying summer vacation.  Below are a few things to keep in mind:

· Sunburn.  The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that everyone, adults and kids alike, apply a water-resistant sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.  Note:if you're using both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply sunscreen first and then repellent.  (If you want to avoid a repellent containing DEET, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends repellents that contain picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus, both are non-toxic and able to reduce mosquito bites just as well as formulas with low levels of DEET.)

· Hydration / Heat-related Illness.  Help kids avoid becoming dehydrated by reminding them to drink water and sports drinks often throughout the day.

· Food Poisoning.  One of the best ways to avoid food poisoning during the summertime is to be sure food items that contain mayonnaise, milk, eggs, meat, poultry and seafood aren't kept at room temperature for more than an hour (if it's 90+ degrees F outside).

·Safe Bike Rides.  Nearly 300,000 kids make a visit to the emergency room every year with bike-related injuries. Wearing a helmet can help reduce your child's risk of making such a visit.  Also, check that your child hasn't outgrown his bike.

· Playground Safety.  More than 205,000 kids visit emergency rooms with playground-related injuries every year.  Many of these injuries can be prevented with a little precaution and adult supervision.  Check the playground equipment before letting kids play on it.  Be sure that your child's clothing is playground-friendly.

· Pool Safety.  Never leave kids alone near the pool, no matter what their ages or swim capabilities.

Upcoming Events

May 30 & 31 – Thurman Loop Fest, Shenandoah & Thurman Avenues, 5 p.m.

The Thurman Loop Fest will take place this Friday and Saturday at Shenandoah Avenue and Thurman Avenue in the historic Shaw neighborhood.  Visitors to this family-friendly festival will be able to enjoy great music, BBQ, art, crafts, storytelling, puppet shows and more.  The festival will open at 5 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. on Saturday.  For more details go to http://www.thurmanloopfest.net/

May 31 – College & Career Readiness Resource Fair, Tandy Community Center, Noon

NaWay Ministries will present a Resource Fair this Saturday from Noon to 3 p.m. at Tandy Community Center, 4206 Kennerly Avenue in The Ville neighborhood.  Visitors will be able to enjoy food, music, games and more in addition to workshops on ACT prep, college applications, job search, resume editing and information on the Janet L. Armstrong Scholarship for St. Louis City and Normandy graduating seniors.  Questions?  Call (314) 606-9145.

May 31 – Community Clean-Up Day, Fairgrounds Park, 10 a.m.

The New Northside Association will be sponsoring a Community Clean-Up Day at Fairgrounds Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.  Community members will have the opportunity to volunteer to help pick up trash and debris throughout Fairgrounds Park, as well as help to clean and repair multiple baseball and softball fields.  For more information, visit www.northnewstead.org .

May 31 – Cherokee Street Bands Concert, Benton Park, 4 p.m.

The Cherokee Street Bands Concert will be held this Saturday in Benton Park from 4 to 9 p.m.  Invite your family and friends to join you for great music by Jefferson Avenue Duo, Beth Bombara, and Brothers Lazaroff.  Food and drinks will be available for purchase.  Go to the bpnastl.org web site for more details.

May 31 -- Community Yard Sale, Hampton Gardens Apartments, 8 a.m.

Everyone is invited to stop by the Hampton Gardens Apartments this Saturday for a community yard sale from 8 a.m. to Noon.  Come shop for your "treasure" on the parking lot at 3256 Suson Court within the Hampton Gardens grounds.  In the event of rain, the sale will be held indoors.  Don't miss the great deals to be had.  For more information, contact the Management Office at (314) 481-6189.

May 31 -- Listen St. Louis, Central Institute for the Deaf, 9 a.m.

The Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) is celebrating its centennial and will open the doors to its centennial exhibit to the public for one day to celebrate its history of giving children a lifetime of communicating and learning.  The exhibit will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Saturday.  CID is located at 825 S. Taylor Avenue in the Central West End neighborhood.  Need more information?  Call (314) 977-0222.

May 31 -- Articulated Bus Painting event, South Grand Parking Lot, 10 a.m.

The St. Louis region's first-ever articulated buses are coming to the #70 Grand Line in the next few weeks and St. Louisans of all ages are invited to help turn the bus into a traveling work of art.  A mural for the bus has been designed that features a sample of the notable civic landmarks, iconic buildings and prominent features of the Grand Avenue Streetscape.  Stop by the lot located at 3500 Hartford Street in the Tower Grove East neighborhood from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.  Saturday and participate in this grand art project.

June 1 – Sunday Night Concerts, Carondelet Park, 6 p.m.

The Carondelet Community Betterment Federation is once again sponsoring Concerts in the Park this summer at Carondelet Park, South St. Louis Square Park, Bellerive Park and Fanetti Park.  The first Sunday Night Concert of the season in Carondelet Park, located at Holly Hills and Loughborough, will be held this Sunday from 6 –8 p.m. Bring your lawn chair and snacks and enjoy a fun, free concert in the park by the Bob Kuban Band.  For more information, visit www.carondeletevents.com.

June 2 – Monday Night Concerts, South St. Louis Square Park, 7 p.m.

The first Monday Night Concert of the season in South St. Louis Square Park will take place on Monday, June 2 from 7 –9 p.m.  Bring your family and friends and enjoy a free concert in the park by Street Wise.  The park is located at S. Broadway & Courtois in the Patch neighborhood.  For a complete list of upcoming concerts sponsored by the Carondelet Community Betterment Federation, visit www.carondeletevents.com .

June 3 –Twilight Tuesdays Spring 2014 Concert Series, Missouri History Museum, 6 p.m.

The Missouri History Museum's Twilight Tuesdays Spring Concert Series will end on Tuesday, June 3 with a free concert by the group Dogs of Society, playing a tribute to Elton John.  Festivities will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the Museum's front lawn on Lindell Boulevard at DeBaliviere in Forest Park.  For more information about activities at the Museum, log on to the mohistory.org web site.

June 4 -- Neighbors Naturescaping Kick-Off event, Brightside St. Louis, 5:30 p.m.

Want to beautify your city neighborhood?  Learn how Brightside St. Louis' Neighbors Naturescaping program can help.  Through this program, community groups can request up to $1,500 for plants, tools and hardscape materials to enhance public spaces in their neighborhood.  Attend the Kick-Off event at Brightside, 4646 Shenandoah in the Southwest Garden neighborhood, on Wednesday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m. to get an application packet and hear about program details.  RSVP at info@brightsidestl.org or by phone (314) 772-4646.  More info at the Brightside web site:  http://www.brightsidestl.org. 

June 4 & 5 – Fair St. Louis Open Houses, Forest Park, 5 p.m.

Fair St. Louis will hold two Open Houses to discuss the upcoming Fair Celebrations in Forest Park.  Topics of discussion will include the Fair entertainment, traffic plans, parking plans and other pertinent details.  The meetings are scheduled as follows:

• Wednesday, June 4, Forest Park Visitor Center Trolley Room, 5 - 7 p.m.
• Thursday, June 5, Saint Louis Zoo Living World, 5 –7 p.m.

The meetings are free and open to the public.  Make plans now to attend one so that you will be prepared for the July 4^th holiday celebration.

Save the Date

June 6 -- First Fridays, Grand Center, 5 p.m.

June 7 –Ribbon Cutting for Carondelet Connector, Carondelet Park, 9 a.m.

June 7 -- Green Homes Festival, Missouri Botanical Garden, 9 a.m.

June 7 & 8 -- 45th Annual Lafayette Square Spring House and Garden Tour, begin at Park House (corner of Lafayette & Mississippi), 10 a.m.

June 7 -- Regional Community Garden Tour, Tower Grove South & Shaw Neighborhoods, begin at 3354 McKean, 8:30 a.m.

June 7 –St. Louis Uncorked, Soldiers' Memorial, 4 p.m.

June 8 --Carondelet Neighborhood Bus Tours, start at the Altenheim, 1 p.m.

June 8 -- Spring Picnic, St. Joseph Croatian Catholic Church, Noon

Promoting Your Neighborhood Activities

Is there a neighborhood event on the schedule that you would like noted in the Spotlight?  If so, you may email the information about it to me at GrayR@stlouis-mo.gov or to Cathy Smentkowski at smentkowskic@stlouis-mo.gov for consideration.  You may also post it on the City's Calendar of Events on the City's web site:  http://stlouis-mo.gov.  The link to submit an event is at the very bottom of the home page.  The listing is free.  I encourage you to take advantage of this free way to promote your event.

MSD Outreach Meeting

The Metropolitan Sewer District is gathering public input on current stormwater services and needs in St. Louis and will hold a public meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4 at the District office located at 2350 Market Street in Downtown St. Louis.  The meeting will consist of a review of current stormwater services and real-time polling to gather the public's feedback.  For more information, call (314) 768-6260.

Col. Richard Gray

Director of Public Safety

City of St. Louis