May 21st, 2012
My friend, Susan, went roller skating with her little girl this weekend and came home with a rather nasty pair of bruises. I wasn’t surprised. The last time I tried to go roller skating, it was not fun. My center of gravity is way different than it used to be and my balance is not great. Of course, skating is a whole different experience, too, when you are trying to help a child learn to balance while attempting to keep yourself upright on wheels. I think we’re both lucky we didn’t break something skating with our kids.
Trying a new summer sport, or working your way back into an old favorite, is a great way to have fun and get in better shape. There is nothing wrong with getting back out on the skating rink after years, or even decades off your wheels. But if you are trying a sport that you haven’t attempted in a while, it is much better to be safe than sorry.
Protect your head
Head injuries are no laughing matter. If you are skating, skiing, riding a bike or a board, protect your head with the appropriate helmet. Remember that even a seemingly minor crash can result in a head injury that can keep you from driving for a couple of days. A more serious injury could result in brain swelling, coma or even death.
Watch your wrists
Do you work with your hands? Is your job going to be seriously hampered if you break your wrist and cannot type, operate machinery or perform neurosurgery? Think about the risk you are taking by playing without wrist guards, and how easy it would be to protect yourself. Wrist guards not only protect your wrists, they can help prevent forearm breaks as the result of a fall.
Pad your knees
If you are going to fall, chances are it will be on one or both knees. Joints wear out over time, and a fall at age 40 can be much more serious than a fall at age 20. Even a badly bruised knee can leave you hobbling for days, but a broken knee can disable you for weeks or even months. Knee pads can help protect your knees from impact and even add stability to the joint, helping to protect soft tissues.
Set the right example
If you want your kids to wear protective safety gear, you have to set a good example. Make safety gear a part of your sports routine, and treat it as a non-negotiable requirement for everyone who wants to play. By treating your safety gear as a helpful and necessary part of your sporting experience, your kids will learn to appreciate their helmets and pads, and your family will be much less likely to spend your summer in the emergency room.
More from Tavia:
Kids in Summer Sports Need More Water to Prevent Dehydration
Summer Tips for Exercising With Your Dog
Jumping Rope to Lose Weight
Tavia worked as a naturalist and recreation specialist at an Oklahoma lake during her college years. She enjoys using what she learned as an outdoor educator in her work with children today.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 21st, 2012
COMMENT INFORMATION
Comments may not display immediately due to an automatic filter. These comments will be reviewed within 24 hours. Please do not submit a comment more than once.
COMMENT RULES
Comment posters are responsible for the opinions they express and the accuracy of the information they provide. We urge comment writers to treat this as a public forum where manners matter. We encourage a collegial, non-insulting tone. Be aware, in accordance with the Communications Decency Act and provisions upheld in judicial appeal, that you are responible for comments posted on this Web site.
Users should not post:
- Potentially libelous statements or damaging innuendo.
- Obscene, explicit, or racist language.
- Personal attacks, insults or threats.
- The use of another person’s real name to disguise your identity.
- Comments unrelated to the story.
If you believe that a commenter has not followed these guidelines or have questions about this service, please e-mail the Webmaster at jgonzalez@arkansasnews.com
Thank you for your comments!
|
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 19th, 2012
HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Safety Vision, the industry leader in mobile video and multimedia fleet
automation, introduces SafetyTrax|DDM, the industry’s first Driver
Distraction and Fatigue Monitoring System.
SafetyTrax|DDM combines a dash mounted, day/night, infrared illuminated
camera with intelligent video algorithms to provide an easy to install,
autonomous, turn-key solution. The built-in video analytics are
self-configuring and work by tracking driver’s eye lids and pupil
dilation using proprietary algorithms. The system warns the driver with
real time audible alerts when symptoms of fatigue or distracted driving
due to texting on a cell phone are recognized.
“The problem of distracted and fatigued driving has reached epidemic
proportions with nearly 20,000 injuries and 750 deaths attributed
annually according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA),” noted Terry Leiby, Director of Marketing. “Our SafetyTrax|DDM
product is designed to be a proactive monitoring and warning tool built
on our nearly two decades of experience and engineering expertise in
mobile video and fleet automation systems.”
The autonomous SafetyTrax|DDM systems can also be combined with the
SafetyTrax web based tracking service to provide real-time alerts to
remote fleet/safety managers. This powerful combination of driver and
fleet manager alerts ensure a proactive approach to fleet safety as well
as public safety.
About Safety Vision, LLC
Serving transit, police, school bus, commercial, and other public and
private sector fleets since 1993, Safety Vision provides comprehensive
mobile video solutions that enhance visibility, improve safety, protect
assets, and reduce liability. Solutions include onboard surveillance,
collision avoidance, and driver behavior modification systems.
Components include mobile digital video recorders (MDVRs); rear-, side-,
and forward-view interior and exterior cameras featuring infrared
technology; in-cab monitors; video-viewing and -sharing software; and
vehicle monitoring software featuring GPS. Advanced surveillance system
technology enables the secure capture, automated wireless download, and
simplified backend management of video, audio, and other evidentiary
data. www.safetyvision.com
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 19th, 2012
 Safety 1st just issued a large recall for its toilet and cabinet child safety locks because they may fail to lock , the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada (HC) just announced. About 183,00 Safety 1st Toilet Locks and 685,000 Safety 1st Cabinet Locks are involved in the recall.
The defective Safety 1st products were manufactured in China and imported by the Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) Inc., of Columbus, Indiana. The Safety 1st Toilet and Cabinet Locks were sold at Bed, Bath and Beyond; Burlington Coat Factory; Great Beginnings; Home Depot; Target; and Walmart from January 2005 through April 2010 for between $8 and $20 for the toilet locks, and from January 2000 through March 2009 for between $2 and $11 for the cabinet locks. Amazon.com sold both locks through April 2012.
Young children can unexpectedly disengage the toilet locks and gain access to water in the toilet, posing a drowning risk. The cabinet locks are being recalled because young children can disengage the lock, which poses the risk of injury from dangerous or unsafe items that are stored in the cabinet.
To date, DJG received 110 reports of toilet locks that did not adequately secure the lid, including eight reports of children, under the age of two, who were able to disengage or break the lock. DJG has also received 278 reports of cabinet locks that did not adequately secure the cabinet, including 71 reports of children between the ages of eight months and five years old who were able to disengage the cabinet locks. In one of the reported incidents, a 13-month-old boy swallowed small, toxic beads from a craft kit. The child was admitted to the hospital, observed overnight, and released the following day.
This recall involves Safety 1st Sure Fit Toilet Locks with model numbers 48003 and 48103. The toilet lock is attached to the tank, behind the lid, and is intended to prevent a child’s access to the toilet bowl. This recall also involves Safety 1st Cabinet Slide Locks with model numbers 12013 and 12014. The lock is attached to cabinet knobs or handles to prevent access to the contents of the cabinet. Model numbers can be found on the back of the locks.
The firm advises consumers to immediately remove the recalled Safety 1st locks and contact DJG for a free replacement lock of a different model. When removing the recalled locks, consumers are urged to immediately store dangerous items out of reach of children and to prevent unsupervised access to bathrooms. DJG can be reached, toll-free, at 1.877.416.8105 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time (ET), Monday through Friday, or at the firm’s website at www.djgusa.com.
The CPSC noted that, in March 2012, a large recall of 900,000 Safety 1st Push ‘N Snap Cabinet Locks was implemented due to lock failure. That release can be accessed at: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12136.html.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 17th, 2012
WXII reporter Stephanie Berzinski spills while trying to park a new Harley Davidson during a live shot discussing motorcycle safety.
May is Motorcycle Safety Month, and reporter Stephanie Berzinski of WXII-TV in Winston-Salem, N.C., learned first-hand how tough the big bikes can be to handle when she tipped over a new Harley-Davidson live on the air during a safety story.
A leather-clad Berzinski, who’d taken a safety course and earned her motorcycle license, slowly drove the bike through a mostly vacant parking for the 5 p.m. live news broadcast. Riding was fine, it was parking that gave her issues. As the reporter approached the camera, she tried to stop the bike, seemingly forgot how to put the kickstand down, and ended up tipping it over, engine still rumbling. A crew member came immediately to her aid.
“Okay, so it really isn’t as easy as it looks,” Berzinski laughed. “That bike is a lot heavier than the one I was using in the motorcycle safety course. I apologize…That was not supposed to happen.”
Nevertheless, the blooper led perfectly into the segment, as Berzinski continued, “It’s still a little nerve-racking. It’s very easy to make a mistake like I just did, which is why I was very surprised to learn the motorcycle safety foundation is not mandatory. …You can see why it’s to your advantage to take that course.”
She later wrote about the incident on her Facebook page.
“I have to laugh this one off,” Berzinski wrote. “Yes, I am forever embarrassed and yes I was totally mad at myself, but hey — that’s live TV for you. Mistakes happen. Obviously. Either way I still passed and have my motorcycle endorsement. I think I’m gonna start off with a Vespa.”
In response, viewer Art McMorris commented, “Don’t feel bad, even bikers who have been riding for years have done it.”
You can watch the segment here.
Ever had an embarrassing motorcycle (or bicycle, or car) accident? Tell us on Facebook.
Related content:
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 17th, 2012
Manufacturers would have to equip large trucks and buses with safety systems that help prevent rollover accidents through computer-controlled braking, under new regulations proposed Wednesday by the government.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 15th, 2012
Safety Chad Jones failed a physical and was placed on waivers by the New York Giants today, according to NFL.com.
Jones, a third-round pick in the 2010 draft, has been injured the last two seasons. He suffered a serious injury two months after he was drafted — on June 25, 2010, he was in a horrific car accident and nearly lost a leg. He’s been working for the last two years on a recovery.
“We consider Chad to be part of the Giants family, and we’ll continue to work with him in his rehab,” general manager Jerry Reese said. “As we’ve said since his accident, we’re thankful he is alive and able to lead a normal life.”
Jones was a standout athlete at both St. Augustine High School in New Orleans and Louisiana State University. He had returned to the Giants’ offseason workout program last month, but was never officially cleared to resume his football career.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 15th, 2012
Public safety agencies will be able
to operate unmanned aircraft with fewer restrictions, in the
first changes in U.S. regulations that Congress ordered to
broaden domestic use of non-military drones.
Police, fire and similar departments will be able to fly
drones weighing as much as 25 pounds (11.3 kilos) without
applying for special approvals needed under previous
regulations, the Federal Aviation Administration said today in a
statement on its website.
Today’s step is an interim one until the FAA completes
rules to allow small drones for commercial purposes, Ben Gielow,
government relations manager for the Association for Unmanned
Vehicle Systems International, said in a phone interview.
Congress ordered the FAA to complete those rules within two
years. A proposed regulation is due this year.
“The FAA’s sole mission and authority as it focuses on the
integration of unmanned aircraft systems is safety,” the FAA
said.
Congress is encouraging more U.S. drone flights under a law
that became final on Feb. 14, with the goal of adapting
technology used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan. The law
also requires the FAA to name six test sites by June and
integrate drones into the U.S. aviation system by 2015.
The rule announced today calls for agencies to first show
they can operate a drone before getting an FAA permit. Drones
must fly within 400 feet (122 meters) of the ground, remain in
sight of the operator and stay clear of airports, the FAA said.
Expedited Approvals
The FAA also said it has streamlined the approval process
for special certificates it requires for other agencies and for
larger drones.
The new application process, which can be completed over
the Internet, creates expedited approvals for time-sensitive
emergency missions and a procedure letting applicants appeal
when they are denied, according to the statement.
The FAA has received applications from 61 agencies, police
departments and public universities to fly drones, according to
documents the agency released in April. They range from the
North Little Rock, Arkansas, police department to the U.S. Army,
Air Force, Navy and Marines, according to agency records.
While the FAA has shortened the time it takes to consider
requests to fly unmanned aircraft, some applicants have found
the process cumbersome, Gielow said. The Arlington, Virginia-
based Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International
represents more than 2,100 members, including Boeing Co. (BA)’s
Insitu Inc. and Aerovironment Inc. (AVAV)
A Slow Increase
Drone use by law enforcement probably will begin slowly as
a few early adopters build confidence in the systems, he said.
“This will certainly make the process easier,” Gielow
said.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a San Francisco-based
free-speech advocacy group, filed suit against the FAA last year
to force the agency to reveal the identities of drone operators.
“I don’t think the FAA should be increasing the number of
drone flights until they at least release the information on who
is flying drones already,” Jennifer Lynch, a foundation staff
attorney, said in a phone interview today.
The FAA released names last month of agencies that had
applied to fly drones. It has not provided any additional
details about the restrictions it imposes and how those drones
are used, Lynch said.
The law ordered the FAA to let public safety agencies fly
unmanned aircraft weighing less than 4.4 pounds. The agency
expanded that to 25 pounds. Its statement gave no explanation
for the change.
The FAA wrote the drone rules for public safety agencies in
conjunction with the U.S. Justice Department’s National
Institute of Justice, according to the statement.
To contact the reporter on this story:
Alan Levin in Washington at
alevin24@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Bernard Kohn at
bkohn2@bloomberg.net
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 13th, 2012
LOS ANGELES – In response to growing concern about problems with its F-22 Raptor fighter jet, the Air Force revealed…
Posted in Information | No Comments »
May 13th, 2012
In the wake of Junior Seau’s suicide, the debate over football safety has reached a fever pitch. New England Patriots wideout Chad Ochocinco joined the fray Friday, pledging his support to Roger Goodell in a letter posted on his website and addressed to the NFL’s commissioner.
“I know it has been a rough week, so I wanted to reach out. Players dying, players suing and on top of that my peers are just going off on you in the media,” Ochocinco wrote in the letter posted on OCNNReport.com. “It does not help that ESPN has all of a sudden become Medical TV with damn near every brain expert on the planet. This has got to be the worst week ever. Since no one is showing any support, I figured I would be the first.”
Goodell and the league’s handling of concussions have come under fire in recent years, as the NFL has attempted to get a stronger hold on player safety by adopting stronger concussion testing policies and issuing hefty fines for hits involving the head.
Thousands of former NFL players also have sued the league over what they claim was willful ignorance of the dangers of head injuries. The safety debate reached a crescendo after Seau shot himself in the chest May 2 at his home in Oceanside, Calif.
Ochocinco, who affectionately refers to Goodell as “Dad” in the past and in Friday’s letter, said he believes the league’s own public relations arm is hurting the NFL’s efforts.
“Y’all do a darn near perfect job at portraying this game as one played by heroes,” Ochocinco wrote. “But let’s be real dad. This is a nasty, dirty and violent game with consequences. Sign up or go get a regular job. Watch it or turn off the TV and go fishing with your kids. It is really that simple.
“I know there are probably legal and financial implications that prevent this blunt depiction, but (I) am not sure if you have a choice,” he continued in his letter. “If you don’t say it now, the mounting evidence being revealed publicly will say it for you very soon.”
Ochocinco, who two years ago attended Goodell’s Super Bowl news conference as a reporter and asked a question, told Goodell that “if anyone can lead us out of this mess, it will be you.”
He finished by writing that he is planning to have a rebound season after totaling just 15 receptions with the Patriots in 2011, which will include a lot of end-zone celebrations.
“Can my fine money go to supporting ex-players suffering?” Ochocinco asked, before signing the letter “Sincerely, Chad.”
Information from ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Posted in Information | No Comments »
|
|
