Lightning Strike at Pennsylvania Racetrack Raises Concern of Spectator Safety

As severe thunderstorms rolled through the area on Sunday, 85,000 fans were sitting in stands and in the infield at the Pocono Raceway watching the Pennsylvania 400 NASCAR race.  For the safety of the drivers and the fans, the race was called off, but it was too late – two lightning strikes hit 10 spectators.

According to WNEP, the Monroe County EMA alert system issued a severe thunderstorm warning for the area at 4:12 p.m. NASCAR stopped the race at 4:54 p.m. The first lightning strike was shortly after 5 p.m., killing one man and injuring eight others. The second strike was reported at 6:35 p.m., injuring one person.

Officials with the Pocono Raceway and NASCAR are investigating the hour leading up to the tragedy.  While the racetrack officials contend warnings were issued, some of the attendees are disputing that claim.  Philly.com reports some attendees said there were no audible warnings given to spectators during the closing stages of the race. […]

Pennsylvania Student Athletes Offered Protection Under Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Bill

Earlier this month we reported on the safety ranking of Pennsylvania in respect to safety initiatives states take to prevent injuries and death among their residents.  Pennsylvania was recognized for having a strong youth sports concussion safety law. Now, Governor Tom Corbett has signed a new law that will offer additional protection to young athletes – an act establishing standards for preventing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) and death in student athletes.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, SCA is the abrupt and unexpected loss of heart function, and can cause death if not treated within minutes.  SCA is attributed to more than 2,000 deaths in the United States each year.  The New York Times reports that while sedentary youths are susceptible to SCA, the risk is nearly three times higher in competitive athletes. In addition, a high school student dies of cardiac arrest as often as every three days. […]

PA ranked 30th in U.S. for injury deaths

Researchers set out to determine which U.S. states are the safest. In a study released last month, each state was ranked by 10 key indicators of steps states can take to prevent injuries, including those caused by accidents and violence, to their residents.  Pennsylvania received a score of 5 out of 10, leaving the state plenty of room for improvement.

The study, entitled “The Facts Hurt: A State-By-State Injury Prevention Policy Report,” by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), looked at each state, ranking them on a 10 to 0 scale, with states receiving one point for each of 10 policies that could improve safety. Two states, California and New York, scored nine out of the possible 10 points, and had the best overall ratings. Montana and Ohio both scored the worst overall with just 2 points each.  […]

National Dog Bite Prevention Week Highlights Responsibility

Just last month we wrote about the significant injuries that can result when dogs turn aggressive and attack and bite someone.  The Humane Society of the United States reports, there are over 78 million dogs owned by Americans, with nearly 40% of U.S. homes owning at least one dog as a pet.  Keeping Americans safe from these pets is the focus of National Dog Bite Prevention Week that runs May 20-26.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that about 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year.  800,000 people will seek medical attention for the bites, and approximately 386,000 of the injured will require treatment in an emergency department.  These statistics translate to a dog bite occurring every 75 seconds in the U.S. with over 1,000 requiring emergency medical care to treat these injuries daily.  Sadly, about 16 Americans die each year from their dog bite wounds. […]

Children Left in Parked Cars at Risk for Heatstroke

In anticipation of another hot summer, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has kicked off a campaign warning Americans of the dangers of leaving children unattended in a hot car.  The NHTSA reminds adults that children left alone in a car, even in the most moderate temperatures, can be seriously injured or die from the heat in the vehicle.

To educate the public, the NHTSA announced its first-ever national campaign to prevent child heatstroke deaths in cars, urging parents and caregivers to think “Where’s baby? Look before you lock.”

The NHTSA reports that 33 children died due to hyperthermia (heatstroke) in 2011. Two children have died due to hyperthermia thus far this year. According to the Department of Geosciences at San Francisco State University, since 1998 there have been at least 529 vehicle-related hyperthermia deaths.  More than half of the deaths occurred in children under 2 years of age, […]