On Tuesday, the Red Cross of Utah sent out a press release with several tips to keep safe this summer whether you’re swimming, camping or grilling.

And according to Michael Smauldon — executive director of the American Red Cross Northern Utah & Southwest Wyoming Chapter — there are several often overlooked tips for each of these activities.

Swimming

Smauldon told the Standard-Examiner on Tuesday an important piece of safety equipment is often forgotten on the state’s lakes and reservoirs.

“People are in the reservoirs at Willard or Pineview, life-vests are much needed,” he said. “We’ve had too many incidents over the last couple of years that resulted in the deaths of adults and children that could’ve been easily prevented if people wore proper life vests. There’s been too many stories of parents jumping in to try to save their children and end up drowning themselves. But if people had life vests, especially on their children, that would make a huge difference when it comes to the safety of people and their families and to help prevent death during swimming.”

Other swimming tips presented in the press release include:

• “Prevent unsupervised access to water, provide constant and active adult supervision, and know how to swim.
• “Never swim alone – adults and teens as well as children. Never leave a young child unattended near water, and do not trust a child’s life to another child. Swim in an area with lifeguards.
• “Designate a “water watcher” whose sole responsibility is to keep a close eye and constant attention on everyone in and around the water until the next water watcher takes over.
• “Don’t just pack it, wear your life jacket — always wear it on a boat or if you are in a situation beyond your skill level.
• “Reach or throw, don’t go! In the event of an emergency, reach or throw an object to the person in trouble and tell them to grab on to it.”

Grilling

When it comes to grilling outdoors, Smauldon said a disturbing trend has been noticed by the Red Cross.

“They need to keep their grills away from their homes, their garages or any structure,” he said. “The number one (emergency) that American Red Cross responds to are home fires, and during the summer, many of those are due to grilling incidents where people are grilling and their grills are to close to the home or garage and then there’s a flare up because fat in the meat goes down into the grill and catches fire and that will flare up and it spreads to a home. Then we’re being called.”

He said to also keep grills away from trees, shrubbery or other flammable materials.

Other grilling tips presented in the press release include:

• “Use the long-handled tools especially made for cooking on the grill to help keep the chef safe.
• “Wash your hands, utensils and workstation before preparing the food.
• “Don’t leave food out in the hot sun. Keep perishable foods in a cooler with plenty of ice or freezer gel packs.
• “Separate uncooked meats, poultry and seafood from ready-to-eat foods like salads, fruits, vegetables, cheeses and desserts. Use separate plates and utensils to prevent cross-contamination.”

Camping

As summer continues, especially with how dry Northern Utah has become, Smauldon said it is especially important to have a plan in place to leave a campsite if threatened by wildfire.

“Right now, we’re having wildfire warnings all throughout the state,” he said. “Whatever campsite you’re going to be going to, just make sure you have a plan on how you’re going to evacuate out of the area in case there’s a fire.”

Other camping tips presented in the press release include:

• “If you are heading out to camp, or go hiking, wear layers of light-weight clothing, sunscreen and a hat.
• “Pack a first aid kit with insect repellant, sunscreen and personal medications. A variety of first aid kits and emergency supplies are available at redcrossstore.org.
• “Know the level of ability of your group and the environment around you. Plan to use hiking trails that are within your skill level.
• “Share your plans, including where you are going and when you should be back, with a family member, neighbor or friend.
• “Bring nutritious food items and plenty of water even if you don’t plan to stay overnight.
• “Download the FREE Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the FREE Emergency app for weather alerts, open Red Cross shelter locations and safety steps for different emergencies. Choose whether you want to view the content in English or Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. Find these and all Red Cross apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.”

Hydrate

Smauldon said there’s one safety tip that applies to all of the above outdoor activities.

“Please make sure you stay hydrated,” he said. “Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are super serious. … Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water, electrolyte drinks to keep your electrolytes up and stay in a cool place, if you can.”

He added following these tips will help keep the summer spirit — and yourself — alive.

“This is a great time,” he said. “It’s summertime, kids are out of school, it’s fun but we just want to make sure people stay safe.”