Shannon Harvey Insurance

Here's a story that showcases the need to pay more and more attention to the world around us. 

During a Barbeque, a lady stumbled and fell. The other people at the party offered to call the paramedics but she said she was fine and had just tripped over something because of her new shoes. She appeared a bit shaken but quickly brushed herself off and went back enjoying the party as if nothing had happened.

Later that night, she was taken to the hospital and passed away.  She had actually suffered a stroke at the Barbeque.  Had the other people at the party known how to identify the signs of a stroke, her death could have possibly been prevented.

According to the National Stroke Association, while some stroke victims don't die, they do end up with some sort of brain damage. Neurologists say that if they can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours, they can reverse the effects of a stroke.  The trick is getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and medically cared for within those 3 hours.

During a stroke, blood stops flowing to parts of the brain. This can damage areas in the brain that control the rest of the body. A stroke is a medical emergency. Get help right away if any of these symptoms come on suddenly, even if the symptoms don't last.

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• Sudden Vision Problems such as double vision, or trouble seeing in one or both eyes, as well as having trouble reading
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

Sometimes these symptoms of a stroke can be difficult to identify because they can have other causes. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness can spell disaster.  The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.  According to the National Stroke Association, if you even remotely suspect something, be sure to act "F.A.S.T." and do this simple test.

Ask the individual to:

FACE   

Ask the person to smile.

Does one side of the face droop?

ARMS   

Ask the person to raise both arms.

Does one arm drift downward?

SPEECH 

Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence.

Are the words slurred?  Can he/she repeat the sentence correctly?

TIME   

If the person shows any of these symptoms, time is important. 

Call 911 or get to the hospital fast. Brain cells are dying.

Again, If the person has trouble with any ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.  Armed with these rules and crucial information, you could easily help save a life. If you're wanting to learn more about strokes, http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/stroke/stroke.htm also has a wealth of information and I hope you find the information as informative as I have.

This is a story that was recently sent to me, and I knew I had to share it with you after I read it. This may be a story you've heard before, but it's new to me. I went and checked snopes.com (a website that checks the validity of these sorts of things) and found this story gets some of the crucial information wrong, and I wanted to correct what it gets wrong and share the crucial information it does get right.

It was about 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon, and Lauren was driving to visit a friend. An UNMARKED police car pulled up behind her and put his lights on. Lauren's parents have always told her never to pull over for an unmarked car on the side of the road, but to wait until they get to a gas station.

Lauren listened to her parents advice, and promptly called *77 on her cell phone to tell the police dispatcher that she would not pull over right away. She proceeded to tell the dispatcher that there was an unmarked police car with a flashing red light on his rooftop behind her. The dispatcher checked to see if there were police cars where she was and there weren't, and he told her to keep driving, remain calm and that he had back up already on the way.

Ten minutes later 4 cop cars surrounded her and the unmarked car behind her. One policeman went to her side and the others surrounded the car behind. They pulled the guy from the car and tackled him to the ground. The man was a convicted rapist and wanted for other crimes.

Whether this story is true or not, women driving alone have been sexually assaulted by rapists pretending to be patrolmen (and in certain rare cases by actual police officers). So the advice the story gives about not pulling over in deserted areas when signaled to do so by unmarked police vehicles is really good advice. Especially since there are a lot of old police cars that have been put out of service driving around these days.

Although in a few states calling *77 on a cell phone will immediately connect you to that state's highway patrol, that code is far from universal. Rather than frantically trying to figure out which one will work in the area you're in, police generally recommend that the best approach is to get around the problem by trying 911 first. If you're curious as to what each state's number is though, this is a good website to visit: http://www.911dispatch.com/911/mobilenumbers.html

I checked with a friend of mine who's a cop and if a suspicious cop car tries to pull you over at night, turn on your flashers, slow down, and keep driving until you get to a well-lit area where there are other people around. The best thing to do is to call 911 to tell them what's happening and ask them to relay to the officer in pursuit your intent to continue traveling until you've gotten to a lighted area with lots of people around.

So while this story may not be 100% true, the moral of the story is something that everyone should remember. Someone who is impersonating a police officer is planning on the victim ignoring any of the small things that aren't quite right, and just taking it on faith that the officer is who they makes themselves out to be. I just felt like sharing this with you so you know what to do in a situation like that. I hope you're never put in a position to have to use this information, but if you are, then you can now protect yourself and those with you safely and effectively.

As always, it's better to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best!

The summer heat, the smell of hamburgers on the grill, and the sound of fireworks can only mean one thing. The Fourth of July is on its way. With warm weather and family events, the Fourth of July can be a fun time with a lot of great memories. But before your family starts celebrating the Forth and the amazing firework displays, be sure everyone knows some basic fireworks safety tips.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that most injuries from fireworks occur in the few weeks around July 4^th. The CPSC also reports that in 2008, there were seven fireworks-related deaths and an estimated 7,000 hospital emergency room treated injuries. Of course, the best way to protect your family from fireworks accidents is to not use fireworks at home. It's a lot safer and cheaper, and the fireworks are a lot bigger, if you attend a public fireworks display and leave the lighting to the professionals. Lighting fireworks at home isn't even legal in many areas, so if you still want to use them, be sure to check with your local police department first. If they're legal where you live, keep these safety tips in mind:

• Kids should never play with fireworks. Things like firecrackers, rockets, and sparklers are just too dangerous. If you give kids sparklers, make sure they keep them outside and away from the face, clothing, and hair. Sparklers can reach 1,800° Fahrenheit (982° Celsius) - hot enough to melt gold.
• Buy only legal fireworks (legal fireworks have a label with the manufacturer's name and directions; illegal ones are unlabeled), and store them in a cool, dry place. Illegal fireworks usually go by the names M-80, M100, blockbuster, or quarterpounder. These explosives were banned in 1966, but still account for many fireworks injuries.
• Never try to make your own fireworks.
• Always use fireworks outside and have a bucket of water and a hose nearby in case of accidents.
• Steer clear of others - fireworks have been known to backfire or shoot off in the wrong direction. Never throw or point fireworks at someone, even in jest.
• Don't hold fireworks in your hand or have any part of your body over them while lighting. Wear some sort of eye protection, and avoid carrying fireworks in your pocket - the friction could set them off.
• Point fireworks away from homes, and keep away from brush and leaves and flammable substances. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that local fire departments respond to more 50,000 fires caused by fireworks each year.
• Light one firework at a time (not in glass or metal containers), and never relight a dud.
• Soak all fireworks in a bucket of water before throwing them in the trash can.
• Don't pick up pieces of fireworks after an event. Some may still be ignited and can explode at any time.

If someone is injured by fireworks, immediately go to a doctor or hospital. If an eye injury occurs, don't touch or rub it, because this can make it hurt even more. Also, don't try to flush the eye with water. Cut out the bottom of a paper cup instead, and place it around the eye. Immediately seek medical attention - your eyesight may depend on it. If it's a burn, remove clothing from the burned area and run cool, but not cold, water over the burn (do not use ice). Call your doctor immediately.

Fireworks are meant to be enjoyed, but you'll enjoy them much more knowing your family is safe. Whether you decide on a personal fireworks show or not, be sure to spread the word about firework safety to anyone you think could use it. Either way, if you shoot fireworks at home or go to a public display, be sure to have fun and enjoy this Fourth of July.