Safety Briefing June 16, 2015

Topics for today 1.Mosquito Facts 2.Dealing with Mosquitos 3.Water

But First…. Kirk McManus 1972

Mosquito Facts Only the female mosquito bites you (no blood, no mosquito eggs) Male mosquitos live two weeks (they mate once and then die) Female mosquitos live about a month mate once, suck blood, lay eggs, repeat (possibly thousands of eggs) from mosquito egg to adult mosquito takes two weeks Can travel up to 2 miles (usually 50 yards…sunup and sundown) Fly upwind looking for you (they home in on CO2 and Octenol) They spread disease: West Nile Virus Chikugunya Virus Malaria Dengue Fever Yellow Fever Encephalitis

Chikungunya Virus Cases

West Nile Virus Cases

More Rain…More Breeding Locations…More Mosquitos Anticipate an increased number of mosquito borne disease cases this year. Don’t freak out… Rarely fatal Most people (70% – 80%) infected have no or very mild symptoms For the 20% with symptoms … usually minor (headache, joint pain, and fever) 1% of cases can be severe Most at risk: older adults, and people with high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease

Decreasing the Number of Mosquitos is the Best Plan 1. Drain the Swamp (no standing water) don’t give ‘em a place to lay eggs 2. Kill Them Amazon Home Depot Mosquito Magnet Patriot … $330Stinger ½ Acre … $25 Supplies = $25 a monthSupplies = $6 a month CO2 and OctenolOctenol

You won’t be able to kill all of the female mosquitos So … keep ‘em from biting you (no blood = no eggs) 1. Turn on the fan (ultralights don’t fly in high wind) 2. Apply Repellent (it lasts 5 to 8 hours) Picaridin Deet p-menthane-3,8-diol See handout for recommendations

Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate Observe the color of your urine … between clear and dark Any liquid will hydrate you … water works the best Sports Drinks … only if you are doing an intense workout for over an hour Coconut Water … it’s OK, just expensive Water with Vitamins … you’re better off getting vitamins from your diet Purified Water Drinks … minerals are missing, salt and sugar is added Bottled Water or Tap Water? Jim says “tap water” ½ of bottled water comes from the municipal tap (then it’s purified) Safety Standards for tap water are often more rigorous than for bottled water “Best of Both” solution…home water filter and reusable bottles

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Did Everyone Sign the Roster? I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.