On those scorching summer days, there’s nothing like plunging into the local pool. While most public swimming holes have a plethora of lifeguards on duty, it’s still important to keep you and your children safe. Each year, the United States sees an average of ten drownings per day. Ensure your safety this summer and stick to these tips next time you’re in the water:

• Learn to swim. Swimming lessons aren’t just for kids. Many communities offer adult swimming lessons for those who can’t swim well or never learned as children. If you never had swimming lessons as a child, consider picking up this skill over the summer!
• Don’t Drink and Swim. While it may be relaxing to float around the pool with a cocktail, this situation can turn bad quickly. Alcohol can cause you to become disoriented in the water, so if you fall in, you may not be able to find your way back to the surface. The same is true of some prescription drugs, so ask your doctor if it’s a good idea to swim after taking certain medication.
• Keep an Eye on the Kids. Drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1-4 in the United States. Make sure your children have swimming lessons early on, and that they’re monitored at all times in the pool.
• Don’t Rely on Air-Filled Toys. These assistive floatations may help you for a while, but they cannot save your life in a deadly situation. Instead, use them for fun when playing in shallow water.

These tips can help you and your little ones stay safe this summer. For all your other safety and mobility equipment, give us a call at Brevard Medical  Equipment or stop by today!

Sunglasses first became popular during the Hollywood golden years, when movie stars would wear them to both protect their eyes from the bright lights on sets, and to hide their identity from fans. While there’s no denying that sunglasses still carry a definite mystique, in today’s blog we’re going to show you another thing they’re meant to conceal—UV rays!

We often grab for our favorite pair when we’re headed out for a day in the outdoors, but your sunglasses should be doing more than just keeping you from constantly squinting. If your go-to pair isn’t blocking the sun’s harmful UV rays, you may be putting yourself at risk for cataracts or eye cancer.

The next time you buy a pair of sunglasses, take these things into consideration:

• Sunglasses should protect from 100% of the sun’s UV rays. Your eye doctor can help you pick out the right ones, or you can look on the packaging to see if it indicates the appropriate level of protection.
• Darker sunglasses don’t mean better protection—100% protection is the key indicator for which you’re looking.
• Designer sunglasses aren’t automatically better. Save some money along with your eyesight, and simply search for the perfect 100% UV protection.
• The more they cover, the better. Hey, those giant sunglasses that cover half your face are doing you a favor!
• Polarized lenses are not the same as those with UV protection. While polarized lenses are great for reducing the sun’s glare, they don’t do much in terms of guarding your eyes from harmful rays.

We want all of our customers to have a safe and fun-filled summer. If you’re searching for other outdoor or exercise assistive devices, let us help! At Brevard Medical Equipment, we have everything you need to let loose and enjoy your summer. Stop in today!