NEWBERRY COUNTY — With Memorial Day weekend upon us, many people will be making plans to celebrate with friend and family and engage in a wide variety of recreational activities.
But while there is much fun to be had, it is important to remain vigilant as Chief Roy McClurkin of the Newberry Police Department said Memorial Day marks the beginning of what public safety officials refer to as the “100 deadly days of summer.”
“We just want everyone to have a safe and happy holiday season and just be careful and use common sense,” said McClurkin, who will have extra officers on patrol over the weekend.
The police department will be conducting several traffic safety checkpoints, targeting those driving aggressively, under the influence and not wearing seat belts.
Chief Keith Minick of the Newberry Fire Department said a perennial hazard each Memorial Day is backyard barbecuing.
He said it is important to not grill under canopies or carports, which can catch fire and compound the danger in the event of a grill fire, and to make sure that connections between grills and propane tanks are tight to avoid gas leaks.
Additionally, he said it important to dispose of coals in a safe manner by either placing them in a metal container until they cool or thoroughly wetting them.
“I have actually witnessed where people have taken charcoal and thought they were cool and put them in plastic bags or paper bags to dispose of them and they still had hot embers,” Minick said.
It is also a good idea to keep lighters out of the reach of children and to always have a working fire extinguisher handy.
Many people will make their way to Lake Murray over the weekend to participate in all manner of aquatic activities and the Department of Natural Resources stresses caution when boating.
“Believe it or not, most of our accidents are caused from improper lookout,” said Ken Cope of the DNR.
Cope said boaters should always be looking out for other boats and debris in the water and, just like on land, a designated driver should always be on hand.
Additionally the law requires a properly fitted life jacket for each passenger on board as well as a sound producing device.
A common denominator in each of the aforementioned outdoor activities is the need to properly protect skin against a typically ferocious South Carolina sun.
Raising awareness for this cause is the National Council on Skin Cancer Prevention’s “Don’t Fry Day” which falls each year on the Friday before Memorial Day.
In an effort to prevent skin damage from the sun, the NCSCP encourages outdoor-goers to not burn or tan, seek shade, wear sun-protective clothing, apply sunscreen liberally, use extra cation near water, snow (not expected this Memorial Day) and sand and to obtain vitamin D in a safe manner.
The NCSCP stresses no single preventative measure can provide full protection and suggests people follow as many of these sun safety tips as possible.