JULY 2013
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SUMMER, A Time For Fun And Safety By Mayor Eric H. Jones Jr.
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In City Government
WHO’S WHO
chool’s out, the days are longer, and the weather is warmer. It is a perfect time for children to head outside and play but along with the fun comes the potential for more injury. As a word of caution, I admonish you to watch small children around water, sunny afternoons by the pool, cookouts with family and friends, a family road trip, and camp; the sacred rituals of childhood summer. But as parents relax, pediatricians are warning them to be on high alert, in a commentary published in the journal Pediatrics. Injuries - injuries that parents can prevent - are the leading cause of death in children, according to the report. One in three pediatric deaths worldwide, and more than 12,000 pediatric yearly deaths in United States children, comes from unintentional accidents. Think of it this way: More than 30 children die every day in the United States and those who do not die from their injuries still account for 9.2 million medical visits by children every year. "Many parents do not realize that injuries are the leading cause of death in children and most of these are preventable," said ABC News Chief Health and Medical Editor Dr. Richard Besser, who is also the author of "Tell Me the Truth, Doctor" and a practicing pediatrician. Pediatricians warn parents to be vigilant as well as informed. "The most important thing for the parents to do is to get the appro-
WEST
Mayor Eric H. Jones, Jr.
priate information and possibilities of how to prevent it," lead commentary author Dr. Michael Höllwarth, professor in the Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Surgery at the Medical University, Graz, Austria, said via e-mail. So here they are the leading causes of unintentional deaths, and a few tips to keep your kids safe, and remember that there is no need to be paranoid. But there is also no reason to lose a child when you can stop it from happening. Based upon the article that I read there were listed five summer injury risks for kids:
Drowning BIGGEST DANGER: Home swimming
pools. Thirty percent of all unintentional deaths for toddlers one to four years old were drowning’s, most in that backyard we consider so safe. "The most effective means of prevention is to never leave children unsupervised when they are in water". Other tips include keeping a four-sided fence around larger pools to prevent unsupervised access and using lifejackets when you are in lakes, ponds or the ocean. Take swimming lessons. Even tiny children can learn to swim to the side and hold on but constant, careful supervision is key.
Burns BIGGEST DANGER: Indoor cooking.
Fire-related injuries are responsible for 9.1 percent of unintentional deaths among kids
PARK
Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson
CITY ,
––––––––––See SUMMER page 4
Commissioner Thomas Dorsett
The Commission Recognized The Youth Council Committee Graduates
(Pictured from Left to Right): Commissioner Thomas Dorsett, Vice Mayor Felicia M. Brunson, Tianna Campbell, Anissa Gaskin, Woodlean Ambroise, Mayor Eric H. Jones, Sheneil Wesley, Lathania Richards, Commissioner Rita “Peaches” Mack, and Commissioner Sharon Fyffe.
Commissioner Thomas Dorsett presents Proclamation for Small Cities Month to National League of Cities (NLC), during the Small Cities Steering Council event in Canandaigua, NY in June.
(Pictured from Left to Right): Mr. Chris Coleman, Mayor of St. Paul, MN, & Incoming President of NLC, Ms. Ellen Polimeni, Mayor of Canandaigua, NY & Outgoing President of NLC Small Cities Steering Committee, Mr. Stuart Glespy, Incoming President of NLC Small Cities Steering Committee, and Commissioner Thomas Dorsett.
OFFICIALS
Commissioner Sharon Fyffe
Commissioner Rita “Peaches” Mack
City Manager W. Ajibola Balogun