Summer Safety Tips From Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center

Summer Safety Tips

With kids out of school for the summer and vacations getting underway, Dr. Brian Kendall of the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center says what is supposed to be a time of rest and relaxation usually sees a spike in injuries.

Dr. Kendall says motorized vehicle and bicycle accidents, near drownings or drownings and heat-related injuries are among the most frequent causes of trauma this time of year.

A collection of Summer Safety Tips short videos and printable text is available on the TTUHSC website.

Tips For Summer Burns

Summer burns don’t always come by way of the sun. Barbecuing with family and friends, watching fireworks, camping and of course, just having fun in the sun all present the opportunity to be injured by a burn.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center burn surgeon Dr. John Griswold says this time each year, he and his colleagues see burn injuries that could be avoided.

“The first is exposure to the sun – sunburns,” he said. “The second are outdoor recreational activities which involve heat or flames, such as barbecuing, building a bonfire or campfire. And of course, the last one is firework-related burns.”

Again, safety tips on summer burns are available at the TTUHSC website.

Dr. Griswold does suggest keeping ointments like Neosporin and Aquaphor on hand. Severe burns such as those the size of a hand or in specific places like the face or over a joint should be seen by a doctor