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The fourth of July holiday is often filled with lots of family fun including activities such as pool parties, barbecues, outdoor games and fireworks.

Amid the holiday festivities parents may overlook important safety precautions. By keeping a few key Fourth of July safety tips in mind, parents can help keep children safe while still enjoying the holiday fun.

Leave the Fireworks to the Experts

The National Safety Council (NSC) advises everyone to stay away from all consumer fireworks and to only enjoy fireworks at a public display conducted by professionals.

A new report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) finds a significant upward trend in fireworks-related injuries. Between 2006 and 2021, injuries with fireworks climbed 25 percent in the U.S., according to CPSC estimates. Fireworks can result in burns, scars, disfigurement and even death. In 2021, there were an estimated 1,500 emergency department-treated injuries associated with firecrackers and 1,100 involving sparklers. At least nine people died from fireworks-related incidents in 2021.

Every year, sparklers can be found in the hands of children along parade routes and at festivals, but they are a lot more dangerous than people think. Many parents don’t realize that they burn at about 2,000 degrees-hot enough to melt some metals. Sparklers can quickly ignite clothing and many children have received severe burns from dropping sparklers on their feet.

• Families should attend community fireworks displays run by trained professionals rather than using fireworks at home.
• Be sure to stay at least 500 feet away from the show.

Be Vigilant About Water Safety

Another common fourth of July activity is swimming in pools and lakes. It is important to remember to never leave children unattended around bodies of water. According to the NSC approximately 19 children drown during the fourth of July holiday each year.

• Children should always be monitored while in the water. Adults should take turns watching the children in 15-30-minute intervals.
• Sign your children up for age-appropriate swimming lessons, but keep in mind even with swimming lessons children should still be monitored closely.
• Never use floatation devices or water wings when swimming or teaching your child to swim.
• Learn CPR and rescue techniques.
• Establish and communicate clear rules for the pool such as:
  • Do not push or jump on others, no diving or running, etc.
• Children should always wear life jackets while on a boat, personal watercraft and in open bodies of water.

• Never consume alcohol when operating a boat, and always make sure everyone is wearing U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets.
• Sunblock, hydration and supervision are all essential water safety precautions that help keep the day fun and safe.

Barbecue Grill Safety

Nothing beats a barbecue with friends and family.  Just remember these tips to keep everyone safe.

• Create a barbecue only zone. Children and pets should not come within three feet of the barbecue grill once it is turned on. Remind your children that the barbecue is just like the stove, it gets extremely hot, and they can be burned. Keep pets contained away from the grill while it is in use.
• Grill in a well-ventilated area, away from your house and deck. Every year grills and smokers cause thousands of fires, hundreds of injuries and deaths and millions of dollars in damage.
• Be prepared for an emergency by keeping a fire extinguisher and a spray bottle of water nearby.
• Use long handled barbecue utensils to keep the chef safe.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using grills.

Protect Your Skin and Avoid Dehydration

• Limit your sun exposure between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and wear broad-spectrum sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 30 which will protect you from both UVA and UVB rays. Reapply sunscreen often.
• If you are swimming, you should reapply sunscreen hourly or at least every two hours.
• Drink plenty of water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid drinking beverages that are caffeinated or contain alcohol.
• Dress appropriately and wear a hat.
• During hot weather, watch for signs of heat stroke-hot, red skin; changes in consciousness; rapid, weak pulse; rapid shallow breathing. If it’s suspected someone is suffering from heat stroke:
  • Call 9-1-1 and move the person to a cooler place.
  • Quickly cool the body by applying cool, wet towels to the skin (or misting it with water) and fanning the person
  • Watch for signs of breathing problems and make sure the airway is clear. Keep the person lying down.

Our clinic will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in observance of Independence Day.
To schedule an appointment or learn more, call 913-648-2266.

Post written by Wael S. Mourad, MD, MHCM, FAAFP, Family Physician and Chief Health Officer

A medical assistant (MA) is an allied health professional who supports the work of physicians and other providers such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners, in a variety of clinical settings. MAs can become certified through an accredited program and perform routine tasks and procedures that support the providers’ responsibilities and tasks. They typically work in an ambulatory clinic setting, but can also work in urgent care facilities as well as hospital settings, assisted living facilities and even in administrative and research settings.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook online, employment of MAs is expected to grow by 23 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations through 2028.

Medical Assistants at Health Partnership Clinic

At HPC, we have about 13 MAs with a diverse array of backgrounds. Some of our MAs came to us from completely different industries, such as the hospitality sector. Some were practicing physicians in their home countries. And some first stepped foot in Health Partnership as students and were hired when their training was complete.

A strong medical assistant can make or break a clinic. They are a provider’s extra “eyes and ears” for great patient care.

MAs help check patients in and obtain their vital signs and can often get additional history about a patient’s illness and well-being that the patient may not have disclosed to the provider. They help support a provider with all the paperwork requirements for great and timely patient care as well as communicating with patients, colleagues and outside entities, freeing up the provider to focus on seeing patients.

The medical assistant advocates for his or her provider as well, and the provider and medical assistant form the core of the patient care team. That is why at HPC, they typically sit in the same room or pod during clinics, to facilitate optimal communication. They are part of the backbone of a successful clinic.

We are very grateful for our MAs at HPC:

Diangie Bonilla Acosta; Carolina Barraza; Dalia Barron; Kaliece Brown; Traci Gentry; Jessica Grate; Silivia Heredia; Mayra Lemus; Adriana Lund; Andrea Madrigal; Teresa Najera; Tracie Ostermeier and Taylor Sanders.

Without them, the clinic would grind to a halt. If you see or know a MA, please thank them for all the work that they do!

Saturday, April 27, 2019 marks National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. This day aims to provide a safe, convenient and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the general public about the potential for abuse of medications. To learn more and available locations, click here.

The week of April 29-May 3, several of HPC’s clinic sites will have free information to help educate patients and the community about the Opioid Epidemic. Information will include prevention tips on how to safely dispose of unused and unwanted medications and how to prevent drug misuse and protect the environment. Materials are available in English and Spanish.

Drug Disposal

A limited number of free drug disposal bags will also be available on a first-come, first- served basis at the following clinic sites during regular work hours:

Olathe: 407 S. Clairborne Rd., Ste. 104

Paola: 1604 Industrial Park Dr.

Ottawa:  107 S. Main St.

Last year, HPC received a $285,000 grant to enhance its mental health and substance treatment services. The funds allowed the clinic to add behavioral health staff members, increase funding for patient transportation, provide clinical staff training and support other related services.

Did you know?

• An estimated 130+ people die every day from an opioid-related drug overdose.
• 4 million people misuse prescription opioids each year.
• 1 million people have an opioid use disorder.
• 5 percent of 12th graders used a prescription drug without a prescription in 2017.
• Over 70 percent of patients reported that their prescription opioids were not stored in secured containers.