City of St. George, Utah :: Summer Safety Tips

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175 East 200 North

St. George, UT 84770

(435) 627-4000

November 21, 2009

Police Department 200 East 265 North St. George, UT 84770 (435) 634-5000
Animal Control 605 East Skyline Dr. St. George, UT 84770 (435) 634-5829
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Summer Safety Tips

I talk to the news media from northern Utah on a daily basis and the first thing they ask me is "how is the weather down there?" And 9 months out of the year I am able to brag about our mild climate as they bundle up and wade through snow. For those of you who don't have a clue what I'm talking about, that's that white stuff that falls from the sky once a year and stays on the ground for about 3 hours, usually in February. Up north it falls several days at a time! And it stays on the ground for months! Can you believe it? And they actually continue to put up with those horrible conditions. Well, I brag 9 months out of the year. The other 3 months are June, July and August. I just fall silent these months and listen to my northen friends brag.

Summer is hot here. And it presents it's own challenges to us. The police department takes a few reports that are definitely summer and heat related. We get calls that are water-related. A child investigates a pool, a jacuzzi or hot-tub, or an outdoor pond. Curiosity takes over, the unthinkable happens and the child drowns. We go to the lake on a "recovery" of a person that was swimming, boating, skiing or diving and didn't come to the surface. We respond to a shopping center where pets or, worse yet, children with sweat pouring down their faces are waiting in a hot car while mom or dad is taking care of business. We even take reports where garages are left open to let the heat dissipate. Things are left in the car (including the keys), the door is left open a foot or so and the garage or the car is burglarized and items otherwise secure are taken due to an "opportunity" that was extended and accepted. There are precautions that can be taken during the summer to prevent these things from happening to you. And believe it or not, people who don't take precautions can be sorted into one of two groups: those who have been victims of crime, and those who will be. It's only a matter of time. The stats are against you if you don't heed these safety tips:

Keep the garage door down when you are not around. A thief can drop and roll under the door even if it's open as little as 6 inches.
No matter where your car is, don't leave it unlocked or with property in view. And don't leave it running with the air conditioning on: It may get stolen, the car may roll away or the kids may get out of the seatbelts or carseat and shift the car into gear.
If you must leave the sliding glass door or windows open to catch the cool night breeze, block them somehow so as not to allow access by a person from the outside.
Watch your children at all times, especially if there are nearby water hazards, including pools, ponds and hot tubs. We have even found them in the middle of busy streets in the AM hours.
When at the lake, watch the kids at all times. Don't dive into any water without determining the depth first. Always wear life jackets, even when in the boat. Use the buddy system and swim, boat and ski with a friend.
When riding your motorcycle, go ahead and use the helmet. The law says that everyone under 18 MUST, but everyone over 18 SHOULD. On two occasions I would have not been here if it hadn't been for my helmet, and I can show you the pictures of many that should have had their helmet on. One was a teenager (who had wrecked and had severe head injuries) that I had given a ticket to the week before at Dixie High School. Wear the helmets when skating, rollerblading or riding your bicycle.
Play the "What if" game. Think things through before you do them and ask yourself "what if" and then take the precautions that will come to your mind. 95% of the time, if you follow your first hunch, you will be right. We usually make wrong decisions when we rationalize ourselves out of this first good hunch.
Don't go hiking or biking at night without taking a flashlight and wearing good footwear.

Summer vacations and reunions can be fun if we take precautions. One moment of neglect can result in the worst memory of a lifetime. Be careful out there.

Craig Harding
Public Information Officer
St. George Police Department

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