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By Megan Wolfarth, Training and Safety Director

Hi everyone! I hope everyone is having a safe and happy summer so far! I also hope that everyone is wearing his or her sunscreen and big floppy hat to avoid any sun damage while working outside (as discussed in June's Safety Tips).

I want to touch on another important point about being safe while the sun is shining, and that would be to drink lots of water! I know the same thing is repeated over and over, but it's worth it!

If you are thirsty, it's very likely that dehydration has already set in and you are at risk for heat stroke. Heat stroke can be dangerous and even deadly if not properly treated, so it's important to know if your body is telling you to slow down, take a break and drink some water.

The groups of people most at risk for heat stroke are infants, the elderly, athletes and outdoor workers. Because more than 95 percent of the employees that are here are outside in the sun 99.9 percent of the time, we all need to be careful and recognize the signs. I've listed some of the main symptoms below and if anyone wants more information, see me and I'll help you out! (Try to get the information from me before you have signs of heat stroke!)

Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, headache, dizziness, and/or muscle cramps or aches.

If you have any of these symptoms, shade is not enough! The damage is done, and you should call into the office or go to the hospital if it's a real emergency.

One more safety reminder: Everyone needs to make sure to report all accidents and incidents to Red or me. As most of you may know, bad news travels fast, and one of us usually finds out anyhow! Also, make sure to report all truck problems or anything truck related to Red. He is the one who will get those taken care of for you.

• Bill Lovasz (June 8 and June 24) – Bill got his first gold star of the month when a customer called to compliment him on how clean he was able to get a toilet after it had been tipped. It's a women's toilet, and she said that she appreciated the quick and friendly service. Bill's second star came from a customer that called in to say that Bill does excellent work on his "Mr. Johns." Thanks, Bill!
• Phil Copeland (June 9) – Phil got a gold star for going to the stadium parking lots to pump the concert units dry. The toilets were totally full and this really helped out our delivery drivers for when they picked them up. Now, technically, supervisors don't get gold stars, but any good deed deserves to be recognized and it's great that Phil leads by example! Thanks for your hard work!
• Larry Sarver (June 24) – Larry got a gold star from a customer who said she "can't thank our driver enough" and that he gets the toilet so clean that "it's unbelievable." She even said that one time when her unit blew over, he cleaned up all of the mess and put a cement block in the toilet to prevent it from happening again. The customer said that "he is the best." Congratulations, Larry!
• John Sciulli (June 26) – John got a gold star from a customer who wrote a letter "of appreciation for the excellent job of cleaning (her) outdoor toilet." It takes a lot for a customer to take some time out of her day to write in and say how great someone is doing. Thanks for taking great care of our customers!