Summer Safety as Self-Defense!

Summer is here, and with it a host of fun activities that, if we are not careful, can injure us or even cost us our lives. It's not always the mugger in a dark alley that we have to worry about, so in this brief blog entry, I challenge you to look at self-defense and safety from a totally different point of view – one that has nothing to do with punching and kicking!

On April 12, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine was nearly killed in a traffic accident when his official SUV crashed into a guard rail. Corzine suffered a broken leg, a broken sternum, 12 broken ribs, a head cut, and a fracture of one of his vertebrae.

If you live in or travel through Boston's Allston neighborhood — as I do — then you've probably heard about the recent tragic death of Kelly Wallace. Kelly was killed on May 6 while riding her bike at the intersection of Harvard and Cambridge Streets. I drive past Kelly's makeshift memorial every day, and it breaks my heart.

If you're a New England Patriots fan, no doubt you've heard of the tragic jet-ski accident that resulted in the May 29 drowning death of defensive lineman Marquise Hill.

The self-defense lessons are clear:

• If you drive, please wear your seatbelt.
• If you ride a bike, please wear your helmet.
• If you enjoy water sports, please wear a life jacket.

Beyond the examples above, here's a short list of things to help keep you safe this summer:

• Use caution around grills and barbecue pits
• Wear sunscreen
• Use insect repellant to protect yourself from disease-carrying mosquitoes
• Wear appropriate protective gloves, eyewear, and footwear while working in your yard and garden
• Know and heed the signs of dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke
• Attend professional fireworks displays instead of putting on your own backyard show

Want some more tips? Check out these safety pages from the American Red Cross and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Stay safe and have fun!

Sensei J.