Keep well this summer

• Stay hydrated – drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol
• If you need to travel, ensure you take water with you
• Try to avoid alcohol, tea and coffee. They make dehydration worse
• Eat as you normally would. Try to eat more cold food, particularly salads and fruit, which contain water.

In warm weather, increasing numbers of people, especially children, can be tempted to cool off in bodies of open water. The temptation can prove fatal, as they put themselves at risk of drowning.

It is important to teach children to spot and keep away from the dangers of open water:

• Despite warm temperatures above the water, below the surface it can remain extremely cold. The cold water shock of falling into the open water may cause panic and the weight of a person’s clothes will make it more difficult for them to swim
• The depth of the water can be unpredictable and there may be hidden currents
• It can be difficult to get out of open water with steep and slimy uneven banks
• It can be deep with hidden shelves and sharp drop-offs close to the bank’s edge
• There may be hidden objects and hazards below the water surface
• There are no lifeguards or lifesaving aids nearby
• The water may be polluted with chemicals and may make you ill.

Watch a water safety video from the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service on YouTube.

Learn about summer safety – preventing drowning and cold water shock.

Further information about water safety is available on the Royal Lifesaving Society UK website.

Sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer. Sunburn does not just happen on holiday. You can burn in the UK, even when it’s cloudy.

Visit the NHS website for advice on staying safe in the sun  and how to cope in hot weather.

• Try to keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm, when UV radiation is strongest
• If you have to go out in the heat, wear UV sunglasses, preferably wraparound, to reduce UV exposure to the eyes. Walk in the shade, apply sunscreen of at least SPF15 with UVA protection and wear a hat. Wear light, loose-fitting cotton clothes. This should reduce the risk of sunburn.
• Avoid strenuous outdoor activity, like sport, DIY, or gardening. If you can’t avoid it keep it for cooler parts of the day, like early morning or evening.

• If you feel dizzy, weak or have intense thirst, a headache or nausea and vomiting, move to a cool place as soon as possible. Drink some water or diluted fruit juice to rehydrate. Avoid excess alcohol. If you can, take a lukewarm shower or sponge yourself down with cold water. Heatstroke can develop if heat exhaustion is left untreated, but it can also occur suddenly and without warning.
• If you have painful muscular spasms (particularly in the legs, arms, or abdomen), rest immediately in a cool place and drink electrolyte drinks. Most people should start to recover within 30 mins and if not, you should seek medical help. Call 111 if you feel unusual symptoms, or if symptoms persist
• Call 999 if a person develops any signs of heatstroke as this is a medical emergency.

Further information on heatstroke and heat-related illness are available on the NHS website.

Avoid extreme physical exertion. If you can’t avoid strenuous outdoor activity, such as sport, DIY or gardening, keep it for cooler parts of the day – for example, in the early morning or evening.

• Keep your environment cool: keeping your living space cool is especially important for those who need to stay at home this summer
• Shade or cover windows exposed to direct sunlight and keep windows that are exposed to the sun closed during the day. External shutters or shades, if you have them, are very effective, while internal blinds or curtains are less effective. Care should be taken with metal blinds and dark curtains, as these can absorb heat
• If possible and safe, open windows at night if it feels cooler outside
• Turn off non-essential lights and electrical equipment – they generate heat
• During the hottest periods find the coolest part of your home or garden/outside or local green space to sit in. If going outdoors, use cool spaces considerately
• A thermometer in your main living room and bedroom will help you keep a check on the temperature
• A loose, cotton, damp cloth or scarf on the back of the neck or spraying or splashing your face and the back of your neck with cold water several times a day can help keep you cool. So can a lukewarm shower.

Ensure that babies, children, older people and dogs are not left alone in parked cars, which can quickly overheat.

• Look out for those who may struggle to keep themselves cool and hydrated. Older people, those with underlying conditions and those who live alone are particularly at risk
• Keep an eye on isolated, ill or older people, as well as babies and young children
• Help older people and people with long-term health conditions to keep their living space cool
• Be alert and call a doctor or social services if someone is unwell and needs further help
• Ensure that babies, children or older people are not left alone in stationary cars.

There are some simple steps you can take to look after your mental health by following five ways to wellbeing.

We provide information, advice and guidance to families. If your family or a child/family that you know might be facing challenges visit our children and family support webpage for more information.

We provide information advice and guidance to support living independently, to get out and about and receive care and support. Visit the find local care and support for adults webpage.

If you help another person in their day to day life you are a carer. The Carers’ Support Centre based in Brigg offers information, advice, guidance and activities to carers, including young carers. Visit Carers’ Support Centre website for more information or call 01652 650585.

There is also information and advice for carers and young carers including how to apply for a carers’ assessment, personal assistants and benefits on the Caring for Someone webpage.

Whether you are serving member, a family member, or a veteran there is support available both locally and nationally. Visit our Armed Forces webpage for more information.