Health and Safety Podcast

May 4, 2011

Topics

May 4, 2011:

Arson Awareness Week.

Pertussis (whooping cough).

Window safety.

Arson Awareness Week

May 1-7 is Arson Awareness Week.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives reports that from 2009-2010, there were 88 reported serial arson incidents nationally with a total monetary loss of $4.8 million.

Arson Awareness Week

May 1-7 is Arson Awareness Week.

Arson in residential dwellings accounted for 49 percent. Intentionally set fires account for 13 percent of fires responded to by fire departments across the nation.

For more information, go to www.usfa.fema.gov/aaw.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Significant increase in Virginia and most

of the United States.

Pertussis is highly contagious and most severe in children less than one, who can suffer lung infections, seizures and in rare instances, death.

Infants often catch the illness from family members and other caregivers.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Make sure you are up to date with recommended pertussis vaccines.

Symptoms may include a cough lasting more than two weeks that increases in severity or that occurs in fits or spasms; coughing fits accompanied by difficulty breathing, gagging or vomiting; or a cough followed by a whooping noise.

Pertussis (Whooping Cough)

Anyone with pertussis symptoms should seek medical evaluation and avoid public or group settings.

For more information, visit the Virginia Department of Health or contact the Fairfax County Health Department at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/hd.

Window Safety

Falls from windows result in an average of eight deaths yearly to children age 5 or younger; an estimated 3,300 children age 5 and younger are treated yearly in U.S. hospital emergency departments.

On average, one of every three children who fall from a window required hospitalization.

Window Safety

Safety tips from the U.S. Consumer

Product Safety Commission:

Safeguard your children by installing window guards or window stops.

Install window stops so that windows open no more than 4 inches.

Window Safety

Never depend on screens to keep children from falling out of windows.

Whenever possible, open windows from the top – instead of the bottom.

Keep furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing near windows.

Additional Information

www.fairfaxcounty.gov

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/emergency

9-1-1 – Emergency police, fire, medical.

703-691-2131 – Non-emergency.