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This Week's Facts:

1. National Safety Month Tackles Many Topics in June

2. Help Raise Firework Safety Awareness this Month

3. Share Safety Tips for Summer Fun in the Sun

4. DNR Offers Fishing Tools, Tips and Specials

Clarifying Answers: Census Operations Update

You and your patrons may receive a call from a U.S. Census worker if the Census Bureau needs to clarify answers on your 2010 Census form. Workers will be calling households until mid-August. The Census Bureau has posted suggestions for the public about what to do when a worker calls. Census takers will also continue to visit households who did not fill out the 2010 Census. This will occur until the end of July.

Be sure to follow the Bureau’s advice about home visits to ensure your own safety. If you have further questions, visit the How It Works section of the 2010 Census website. For local Census news updates, check the In the News section of Indiana’s 2010 Census website (at the bottom, on the right).

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Friday Facts Editorial Team:

Katharine Springer
State Data Center Coordinator

Elisabeth O’Donnell
Federal Documents Librarian
&
Kim Brown-Harden
State Documents Coordinator

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Join the FDLP-IN listserv for the latest government info

National Safety Month Tackles Many Topics in June

The National Safety Council has designated June as National Safety Month, with each week dedicated to a separate safety topic: Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention, Teen Driving Safety, Preventing Overexertion at Work & at Home, Dangers of Cell Phone Use While Driving, and Summer Safety. Many safety-related government information resources exist to help you and your patrons on the job, at home, and on the road. In this issue of Friday Facts, you’ll find references to some of these resources. Here are a few more to wet your whistle for the Summer: a list of Safety Tips from the Consumer Products Safety Commission, Transportation Safety from the U.S. Department of Transportation, FoodSafety.gov for food producers and consumers, and for fun & safe swimming – PoolSafety.gov.

Help Raise Firework Safety Awareness this Month

While summer doesn’t officially begin until June 21st, most people acknowledge Memorial Day as the season’s official jumping-off point.  For a lot of people, early summer means it’s time to get the fireworks out!  They may be a lot of fun and very pretty to look at, but it’s important to practice safe behavior when using them.  In order to promote safe handling this summer, June has been declared National Fireworks Safety Month. 

According to the CDC, during the month around Independence Day children ages 14 and younger sustained 45% of all injuries related to fireworks. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission offers a number of tips to prevent injury, particularly those related to children: never allow children to ignite fireworks, follow all warnings and instructions, be sure others are out of range before lighting fireworks and do not try to relight fireworks, among others.  USA.gov recommends visiting public displays to enjoy fireworks, rather than lighting them yourself.  However, they also supply tips for those who decide to ignite their own.

Finally, for fireworks laws and practices related specifically to Indiana, check out this flyer from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.

Share Safety Tips for Summer Fun in the Sun

Warm weather and sunny skies mean that people want to get outside.  However, it’s important to remember that too much sun exposure can be dangerous.  The EPA provides a good list of tips for preventing overexposure: generously apply sunscreen that includes protection against both UVA and UVB rays; wear protective clothing; seek shade and be extra careful around reflective surfaces, such as water or snow.  While it is important to get some sunlight in order to absorb the proper amount of Vitamin D, too much sun is still bad.  Aside from issues such as premature aging, the most important effect of getting too much sun is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the United States.  There are three primary types: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma.  The first two are highly curable.  However, melanoma can be deadly.  The CDC has a great site on skin cancer that includes tips on preventive measures and when you should seek a doctor.

Those who are interested in involving their community or school in the fight against skin cancer should check out the EPA’s Sunwise program.  The program provides a variety of resources, both online and downloadable, for sun safety.  You can order a toolkit, order free publications  or even download a UV Index app for smart phones.  Keep your skin safe this summer!

DNR Offers Fishing Tools, Tips and Specials

Do your patrons want to enjoy some of Indiana’s great fishing?  How about for free! The Indiana Department of Natural Resources is hosting a Free Fishing weekend, June 5-6, 2010.  Young people, 17 and under, do not need a license to fish in Indiana waters.  Also, during this weekend, all Indiana residents don’t need a license or a trout/salmon stamp to fish Indiana’s various lakes and rivers.

Not sure where to fish? Check out the interactive map to locate public fishing areas and other natural sites. Fishing can be enjoyed alone or with family and friends. If you're fishing with family, get some tips for fishing with kids to make your experience more enjoyable. The various properties hosting the free weekend also have fun activities such as fishing derbies, knot tying demonstrations, casting clinics, and more. Although these are free activities, some properties require that you pre-register. Contact your favorite property for details. 

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