Five Dangerous Things About Summer in Texas

Summer's here, and we want you to stay safe. There are basically unlimited things that can get you in trouble in the summertime, so here are five potentially dangerous things related to the season...

Insect bites

Mosquitos and ticks can carry different diseases, like Zika and Lyme disease. Lyme disease is actually EXPLODING in the northeastern and north-central United States.

As a matter of fact, Lyme disease is named after the small coastal town of Lyme, Connecticut, where the disease was first identified in the United States in 1975.

Dehydration and heatstroke

Heat kills more people each year than tornados, hurricanes, floods, or cold weather. Approximately 1,220 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year. Crazy, huh?!?

Sunburns

They can be deadly in the long run because of skin cancer. Sunscreen is a must if you're going to be in the sun for any amount of time.

Drowning

More than 4,000 people drown every year. About 20% of them are kids under the age of 14. Earlier this week, I shared that getting your kid a neon swimsuit helps lifeguards and parents keep an eye on them.

Food poisoning

It's more common in summer. Partly because people handle raw meat when they're grilling, and don't always wash their hands. Also, they're typically buzzed (if not outright drunk) and food safety isn't always top of mind for the chef.

Food safety on the grill is VERY important. Make sure you use bleach to wipe things down and always keep raw meats, veggies and everything else separated!