With the Memorial Day holiday this weekend marking the beginning of summer, please be sure to stay safe by following these tips:

• Food— Perishable food should be refrigerated within two hours, or one hour if the temperature outside is more than 90 degrees. Keep uncooked meats away from other foods to safeguard against cross-contamination of bacteria. The USDA recommends cooking fresh poultry to 165 degrees, hamburgers to 160 degrees and beef to at least 145 degrees

• Grilling — Thoroughly clean a grill of any grease or dust to prevent fire hazrads. And check tubes leading into the burner for blockages. Any connectors which can lead to a gas leak should be replaced. Be sure to keep lit cigarettes, matches or open flames away from any grill. Avoid using a grill in a garage or porch or near any surface that can catch fire.

• Water —Wear a lifejacket when on a boat. Young children should be supervised at all times at a beach, on boats, or in pools or hot tubs. Avoid swimming alone or in severe weather. You should learn to swim and be sure to teach your children to swim. Lessons are available at many locations locally. Also, it is key to learn CPR in case of an emergency.

• In addition to 911 for emergencies, the following contacts are useful to know:
Lawrence County Sheriff: 740-532-3525
Ironton Fire Department: 740-532-0043
Ironton Health Department: 740-532-3962
American Association of Poison Control Centers: (800) 222-1222
National Weather Service Active Alerts: https://www.weather.gov/alerts