Take care during the summer
By Amy Geiszler-Jones and Joe Kleinsasser
 Criminal justice professor Paul Cromwell holds the book he co-authored after studying how burglars operate. The most important thing to do if you go on vacation is to create the illusion of occupancy at your home, he says. |
Summer is almost here, and that means vacations and more time spent at lakes, pools and outdoors. To make sure those are fun times, take some advice from these WSU experts.
Is anybody home?
While you’re on summer vacation, burglars aren’t. Criminal justice professor Paul Cromwell, co-author of the book "Breaking and Entering," has studied and talked with burglars about how they operate and target homes.
The most important thing you can do is to create the illusion of occupancy, he says.
Have someone do daily things like pick up mail and your paper, open and shut window coverings, and move your car to another spot in your driveway. Buy some inexpensive timers to turn on inside lights in the early evening and turn them off around bedtime. Install photosensitive and motion detector lights outside. Nothing attracts a burglar as quickly as outdoor lights on during the day.
Also take some additional security measures by installing window locks and good deadbolt locks on exterior doors and putting security pins in sliding glass doors. Unplug your electric garage door opener.
And lastly, says Cromwell, reduce the potential reward to the burglar by putting small valuables in a safe deposit box. Mark other valuables with your Social Security or driver’s license number and record serial numbers. Consider making a photo record of all valuables and put it in the safe deposit box, too.
The great outdoors
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While it’s fun to be out in the sun, it can be dangerous unless you take proper precautions, says Marilyn Yourdon, director of Student Health Services. Ninety percent of the more than 900,000 new cases of skin cancer reported each year are caused by exposure to the sun. And don’t think you’re decreasing your chances by opting for artificial sunrays — tanning beds are just as harmful.
Yourdon recommends avoiding the sun between 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; wearing protective covering, such as a broad-brimmed hat and sunglasses; and wearing a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more. Don’t forget to protect your lips, too. Sun damage can change the makeup of collagen, leading to wrinkling of the lips.
See a doctor if you develop an unusual mole, a scaly patch or a sore that doesn’t heal.
Other things to keep in mind while in the great outdoors are poisonous plants, Yourdon says. "People love to get out and garden and spend time outside, but be cautious of plants you can’t identify."
If you believe you’ve come in contact with poison ivy, oak or sumac, peel off your clothes and give your skin a good washing, she says.
And don’t let the heat beat you, Yourdon says. Drink lots of fluid — preferably water, but fruit juices and iced tea are good, too. Alcohol speeds up dehydration.
Make sure to pack some containers of water in a cooler when traveling, too.
Make a splash with water safety
If your idea of cooling off with water means taking a dip, take precautions, particularly at the beginning of the summer, says Terri Elder, aquatics coordinator at the Heskett Center.
"People go to the water as soon as the weather gets warm, long before the water gets warm," Elder says.
Cold water zaps your energy a lot faster, causing fatigue that can lead to accidents. "Cold water can kill because you’re not prepared for the physical effects on your body."
Also beware of moving water, the kind that swells creeks, rivers and the like after a heavy rainfall. Even shallow water can be dangerous.
"When you figure the pressure of the water, and you put that in motion, you’re on your fanny fast," she says.
Use safety equipment on boats and in water sports. "Lifejackets around open water are for everyone, not just poor swimmers."
Elder says everyone should learn to swim, but don’t think the dog paddle is enough to get you by. "Learn to swim early and learn to swim well so you can handle panic situations."
