SPARTANBURG — May through August is the most dangerous time of year for children, according to Safe Kids Worldwide. In a recent report, Safe Kids found nearly half of all injury-related childhood deaths occur during the summer. Summer officially kicked off June 21.

To help keep our community safe, Mary Black Health System is hosting a Sizzling Summer Safety Fest. Staff clinicians of the Mary Black Emergency Department and Physicians Group along with representatives of Fire, Police and EMS agencies will be on hand to offer sound summer safety tips and demonstrations for both children and adults: Basic First Aid, CPR-Minute Clinic, Infection Control, Summer Skin Protection, Water Safety, Fire Safety, Bike Safety and 911 Dispatch Instruction, Proper Child Safety Restraint and Self Defense.

The event will be held Thursday night June 23 from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. at the Mary Black Conference Center located on the lower level of Medical Office Building III on the Mary Black Hospital campus.

Safe Kids Worldwide offers the following recommendations to help keep your kids safe and sound.

Water rules

Every year, 4,000 Americans drown, with young children having the highest death rate. Here’s how to keep your children safe around water:

Never leave them alone near water. That means at the pool or beach, or near a river, deep bucket, or bathtub.

Teach older children to always swim with a buddy, and not to dive headfirst into an unknown body of water.

Go to beaches with lifeguards, and ask where the safest swimming areas are.

Teach your children about rip currents if they swim in the ocean. If they get caught in one, they need to know to swim to the side one way or the other until they can swim back to shore.

Shun the sun

One of the risk factors of skin cancer is having frequent sunburns as a child. Protect your kids now and in the future:

Limit their time outside when the sun’s rays are strongest: between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Have them apply sunscreen rated SPF 15 or higher every two hours.

Have them wear a brimmed hat and sunglasses when spending time in the sun.

Bikers beware

Make sure your children wear helmets when riding their bikes. According to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute, 85 percent of cyclists’ head injuries could have been prevented if they had been wearing helmets. Helmets should fit snugly and be strapped securely under the chin. In addition to cyclists, skateboarders, and in-line skaters also should wear helmets.

Heat-related illnesses

Heat exhaustion can occur in hot, humid weather. Warning signs include heavy sweating, paleness, muscle cramps, weakness, headache, nausea, and fainting. Move the child to a shady area or an air-conditioned room or car. Provide plenty of cool water or decaffeinated drinks.

Heatstroke is an emergency. Warning signs include high body temperature, red skin with no sweating, rapid pulse, headache, nausea, and confusion. If your child has any of these signs, call for immediate medical help.

Registration is requested by calling 1-877-626-4362 or by becoming a member of Mary Black’s Healthy Woman program via the web at www.MaryBlackHealthSystem.com.

Mary Black Health System LLC is an integrated health delivery system comprised of Mary Black Memorial Hospital, Mary Black Physicians Group, Mary Black Physician Services, and Mary Black HealthNetwork, Inc