More to Skiing and snowboarding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, & pond skating. Pick your winter sport, but be conscious of safety regulations and good old common sense by following these safety tips for outdoor winter sports:
Cell phone, walkie-talkies & mini-flares: Always have at least one of these on you while roaming on a winter sports adventure. Even though phone coverage can be inconsistent in ski areas it is important to carry one anyway! Walkie-talkies are shorter ranged but most ski resorts have them for rent so make sure to get a set to stay in touch. Flares are a good signaling device just in case you get into trouble in a snow bank or hurt and in an out of heavy traffic areas.

Solar glare: Sunlight glaring off the white of snow can be blinding causing you to lose balance or bump into someone causing an accident. Solar glare can also cause sunburn to the whites of your eyes, which can be painful. So either wear sunglasses with protective lenses or non-fogging goggles made with solar glare lenses. Nothing worse than having goggles fog up while skiing. Want to see where you are going guys!
Weatherproof watch: You need to be able to keep track of time while you are out there having fun.
Water, sunscreen & Chap Stick: Hook a water bottle on to your ski jacket or zip it in one of your pockets. Keep hydrate. Think you are out in the snow you don’t need water? Think again! Dry and cracked lips can shorten your fun time and be painful for days so make sure to remember the sunscreen and Chap Stick.
Safety clothes & guards:  Helmets are an absolute must have; make sure it is properly secured on your head, not around your neck! Also make sure that you wear a knitted cap directly on your head before placing the helmet on. This will help not only keep the helmet cushioned on your head but also your body heat inside close to your body. Spend the time to get properly fitted in fishing gear, snow pants, toe warming socks (I love those things. I wear them around the house). Dress in layers and find snug fitting gloves with Velcro wrist tightness. Make sure a professional properly fits you with comfortable ski boots, and snowshoes. No, your big brother, weekend Dads or Moms who may know how to fit you are not the professionals I am suggesting. But this is just a suggestion!
There are all kinds of new technology out there for thin insulated materials to make your body movements enjoyable so that you not constricted with bulky clothing.  Getting frost bitten burns and is no fun to recover from. Let us not see a YouTube video or Twitter posting about you losing a finger or toe to frost bite. OK?
Pond skating: Make sure the weather has been cold enough for at least a weak before attempting to skate on a pond. Please call the local authorities to ask permission to skate on a lake or pond. Make sure you get your skates properly sharpened before skating on raw lake or pond ice. Wear knee and elbow guards.
Having fun means balancing common sense safety practice with your desire to have the thrill and excitement of doing the sport. Think Safety, because life has no reset button!

Yovette Mumford, Executive Director of the non-profit www.safetyissues.com, mother of three, attorney, inventor of safety medical products at www.safetymedicals.com, writer, lives in New England.

Pandemic issues

Swine flu (H1N1) has hit more than 200 countries. At least 12,220 deaths have been reported. The WHO says the true death toll may be higher, but it will take two years to get the actual figure.

Swine flu was widespread in only four states in the last week of 2009, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This was a drop from seven states in the previous week - an indication, they said, that the spread has begun to decline. In October, 48 states were affected by high levels of sickness.

The World Health Organization has warned that young people, pregnant women and people weakened by health conditions such as lung or heart disease are more susceptible to swine flu infections. When infected, they also are likely to need intensive medical care. Young people under 18 are twice as likely to get infected as people in other age groups.

The WHO also warns that “it is still premature” to say that the pandemic influenza has ended. Although the US has passed a second wave of H1N1, a third wave is still possible. The problem is that influenza viruses are notorious for their unpredictability. They quickly mutate into more severe forms.

CDC officials say people should still get vaccinated. More than 118 million doses are now available.

HIV/AIDS

It has been 28 years since the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which has killed more than 25 million people so far. There may be good news, though. The UNAids and the World Health Organization says the pandemic is now in decline. The number of new HIV/AIDS infections has dropped by nearly one-third since its mid-1990s peak. We should remain vigilant, however. The goal is to eradicate HIV/AIDS.

Click to see the UNAIDS 2009 Report.

Did you know that nearly 50% of all AIDS patients die from complications related to tuberculosis (TB)? This fact comes from the CDC. All HIV/AIDS patients should know this relationship between the two diseases. TB has many variations: regular or drug susceptible TB, multidrug resistant TB (MDR TB), extensively drug resistant TB (XDR TB), and extremely drug resistant TB (XXDR TB).

New strand of Tuberculosis (XXDR TB) comes to US.

This makes very important the discovery of the first known case of a person with XDR TB (Extensively drug-resistant TB) in the US. The person involved lived in Lantana, Florida. This form of TB is very rare, but it is extremely contagious. It is also incredibly difficult to treat. The best way is to reduce the risk of infection. For some ideas, visit the CDC “Fact Sheet” on XDR TB.
(PLACE URL OF STORY FROM EITHER MIAMI TIMES OR NEW YORK TIMES)

Health care reform bill passes Senate

The Senate has passed legislation intended to reform the nation’s health care system — or more precisely, to reform the insurance system that helps Americans pay for care. This will now have to be reconciled with the House version passed in November, which contains provisions that differ markedly from the Senate bill.

One common provision is the requirement for Americans (except for some exemptions) to purchase a minimum level of health insurance or else be penalized for not having one. The penalty can be painful. The House bill would set the penalty at 2.5% of adjusted gross income over $9,350 for individuals and $18,700 for couples. The Senate bill sets a graduated schedule of penalties, starting with the greater amount between $95/year and 0.5% of household income in 2014, 1% in 2015, and 2% in 2016 with a review for indexing to inflation after that.

Do Americans want this bill? The polls still show that majority (56%) of Americans oppose the bill as crafted by the Senate and the House.

It is important for each one of us to let our representatives know what we think about this bill, especially the threat of being penalized for not buying insurance. Let us be clear about one thing: under the US Constitution, Congress does NOT have the power to compel Americans to purchase health insurance. Click for an article by US Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah.

Click for a good look at the basic terms in the two versions.

Please send us your comments on what you would like to see in the bill and/or what you don’t like about the Bill as it is written…..

Drinking water quality concerns in the US

The safety and therefore quality of our drinking water are of paramount concern to us. Indeed, to have safe drinkable water should be a human right not just a privilege! This is as true for developed countries as for developing countries all over the world. Every person on this planet should have access to good quality drinking water, but the fact is one in every six people do not.

As a result, the UNICEF estimates that more than 1.5 million children die each year because of polluted drinking water and the lack of basic sanitation. An estimated 425 million children aged 17 and under have no access at all to an improved water supply. This is tragic, because then their physical development is impaired and their health is compromised by various water-related diseases.

Many organizations are hard at work trying to improve the quality of drinking water in US communities as well as in other places worldwide. There are many ways for people to participate. Some are directly involved in cleaning facilities for water while others provide technical education and training for those who clean water. Others help evaluate water quality, and so many other activities to ensure that people everywhere will get good-quality drinking water. These organizations need our support.

The problem is not easy, but it needs everyone’s attention now. If we cannot be directly involved, the least we can do is to help those organizations that are deeply involved. Too many people are at risk, as is evident read the article Dirty Water Kills 4,000 Children a Day.

Going Snowboarding?

In the first week of December, a 17-year-old boy was snowboarding in northern New Mexico. Despite his parents’ pleas for him to wear a helmet, he refused. He said it was not “cool” to put one on. He had done this for years. This time around, he was not so lucky. When his snowboard hit a snag, he careened down the mountain and slammed into a tree. He spent five days in a coma. Click to read More about Winter Sports Safety.

Product Recalls

Toyota has recalled various Toyota and Lexus models. Fixes to recalled vehicles will begin in early 2010. For details, click on the press release.

Toy recalls: Click on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission.

An Appeal

Safety Issues endeavors to bring to your attention to safety news, products, services that affect every aspect of our life. We are a 501(C) (3) organization. We ask that you continue to support our efforts. Please make a tax deductible donation to help us continue funding and developing programs for training in fire safety, sports safety, green technology, safe sex and other safety issues.

For your donation (above $25), you will receive within two weeks a “Thank You” certificate that you can use when claiming your tax deduction.

~ Yovette Mumford, Executive Director of the non-profit www.safetyissues.com, mother of three, attorney, inventor of safety medical products at www.safetymedicals.com, writer, lives in New England.

Hi there,

If you are heading out for some skiing, be sure to check the area and assess the possibilities for an avalanche. You will want to be ready for any eventuality, including an avalanche. Make sure you carry a shovel, a transceiver beacon, and probes, and do not forget to put on a Black Diamond Avalung II.

Black Diamond Avalung II

Avalanche victims increase their chances of being rescued alive if they can find a way to breathe air while they’re buried under the snow. This is exactly where the Black Diamond Avalung II can help. Although quite dense, avalanche debris still contains about 50% air. The Avalung is a filtration system that allows you to draw air from the snow and breathe. To prevent ice from forming in front of you when you exhale (which would cut off the access to air in the snow pack), the exhaled air goes out through an exhaust tube at your back. In this manner, you can continue breathing for several more hours.

The Black Diamond Avalung II is specially designed with a membrane to help you pull the air you need from the snow. You have to make sure the mouthpiece is in your mouth, to allow you to breathe in and out using the tube. It is important that when an avalanche is coming you quickly insert the mouthpiece into your mouth before your movements get restricted by the debris. This is why it is best to already strap the Black Diamond Avalung II over your ski jacket before you head out; that way, the mouthpiece will always be near your mouth in case you’ll need it

With your Black Diamond Avalung II, shovel, beacon and snow probes, you’re all set for your backcountry skiing or snowmobiling. One more thing, there is no substitute for training in using these devices. Long before the need arises, make sure you practice using them. Life has no reset button, think safety.

Safe living,
Yovette Mumford

Hi there,

There’s plenty of snow out there and who can resist the urge to go out snowmobiling or skiing? Winter sports are great fun, but it is also a time to be extra careful about your safety.

If your skiing may take you into avalanche territory, you should have appropriate safety devices in your backpack. One of the most important things to bring is a good avalanche beacon, like the Ortovox Patroller Avalanche Beacon. It has both digital and analog features that help save lives. The Ortovox Patroller Avalanche Beacon provides a fast and effective method of locating those buried in avalanches. This transceiver has a range of 262ft (analog), but when the target comes within 130ft the Ortovox Beacon switches to digital to give you better information.

Ortovox Patroller Avalanche Beacon

You have to make sure your companions also carry their own Ortovox Patroller Avalanche Beacons because these transceivers need to work with other transceivers to be useful. When your party enters avalanche territory, every one will switch their beacons to transmit mode. If an avalanche search is required, untrapped members switch their beacons to receiving mode, to be ready for signals transmitted from the trapped skier’s avalanche beacon.

Use your Ortovox Patroller Avalanche Beacon properly. When going into risky areas, do not put the beacon in your pack or on your belt, as the force of the avalanche may rip it away from you. The best ways is to strap on the transceiver under your clothing.

Remember people buried in avalanches need to be reached immediately before they suffocate under the snow. The Ortovox Patroller Avalanche Beacon can be very useful in this regard. Avalanche victims rarely survive more than 1 hour. Having a beacon does not reduce the danger; it only increases the chances of a speedy rescue. And when you find the victim, you will need a shovel for digging. Using your hands for digging will be futile, as avalanche debris soon turns solid. Life has not reset button, think safety. Click for Winter Sports Safety Products.

Safe living,
Yovette Mumford