Labor Day weekend is just around the corner, and it’s time for us once again to share five safety measures you should take now before summer ends and the busy fall season begins.

1. FOOD SAFETY Planning a picnic for Labor Day? If so, follow these steps to prevent people from getting sick. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Wash your hands, utensils, and work area before preparing food. Separate raw meat, poultry, and seafood from ready-to-eat foods like salads, fruits, vegetables, cheese, and desserts. Use separate plates and utensils to avoid cross-contamination. Bring hand sanitizer if your picnic site doesn’t have handwashing facilities. If you cook on the grill, always supervise it when it’s in use and make sure everyone, including pets, stay away.
2. SWIMMING SAFELY Planning a swim? Make sure no one swims alone – adults, teenagers or children. Never leave a small child unattended near water and never trust another child with a child’s life. Always designate a “Water guard” who will keep a watchful eye and constant attention on children and weaker swimmers in and around the water until the next water ranger takes over. Have young children or inexperienced swimmers wear properly fitted, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets in the water, but do not rely on the life jackets alone. Grab or throw, don’t go! In an emergency, grab or throw an object to the person in distress and tell them to hold on. Don’t go in! You could become a victim yourself. Download the Red Cross Swim app for kid-friendly videos and activities and visit redcross.org/watersafety for more tips.
3. FIGHT THE HEAT It’s been a long, hot summer, and there’s no sign of it cooling down anytime soon. Heat can kill. Slow by postponing or limiting outdoor activities, including strenuous exercise. If you must work outside, take frequent breaks and avoid the hottest time of day by scheduling tasks earlier rather than later. Hot cars can kill – never leave children or pets alone in your car. Ensure adequate fluid intake by drinking plenty of water and avoiding sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages. Make sure the animals also have access to plenty of fresh water and shade. Spend time indoors in an air-conditioned location. If you don’t have air conditioning, go to a public library, mall, or public cooling center. Check on your loved ones and neighbors who may be at risk and don’t have air conditioning to make sure they’re safe.
4. VEHICLE EMERGENCY KIT If you have a first aid kit in your vehicle, check to see if everything you might need is still there. If not, assemble a first aid kit now. Pack a blanket, warm clothes, a first aid kit, boots, a cell phone charger, an ice scraper and ice brush, extra medications, bottled drinking water, non-perishable food, a whistle, a flashlight and extra batteries, jumper cables, and a help sign or bright cloth to make your vehicle more visible.
5. DOWNLOAD SECURITY APPS Download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you know what to do if emergency help is slow to arrive, and the free Emergency Response app for weather alerts, Red Cross shelter openings, and safety measures for various emergencies. Choose whether you want to view content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. You can find this and all Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/apps.