By paNOW Staff

Long weekend safety tips

Jun 30, 2011 | 12:58 PM

Safety isn’t usually the first thing that comes to mind during the long weekend, but paramedics are reminding the public to take a few precautions.

This weekend is set to be hot and humid, with a few rain showers, so staying hydrated and cool is key, said Lyle Karasiuk, director of public affairs with Parkland Ambulance.

“Many of the heat related emergency calls we’re going to get are going to be from seniors or people who by socio-economic means are not well looked after, they’re not eating nutritiously they don’t have somewhere to get out of the sun and get cooled off,” he said.

And staying hydrated doesn’t mean indulging in a surgery drink or alcoholic beverage.

Water is the best bet for keeping hydrated, Karasiuk said.

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Another safety reminder is about using fireworks.

According to Karasiuk it is important to read the instructions for use, have any wind blowing away from spectators and have a bucket of sand, supply of water and a working fire extinguisher on hand.

Paramedics see burns and injuries from explosions when fireworks are not handled properly.

It’s fireworks that don’t go off, when someone touches them to try and relight them that they can cause problems, said Karasiuk.

Also people shouldn’t rush to pick up extinguished sparklers or roman candles as they can remain hot for a long time, he said.

“We hope you don’t require the help of our paramedics … but we’ll out there all weekend in full force, as usual.”

ahill@panow.com