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<\/p>\nWe are fast approaching the silly season! The weather is warming up, the days are getting longer \u2013 can you feel it in the air? Summer is just around the corner. These tips will help keep your family safe this summer.<\/p>\n
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Summer is around the corner – the start of the Silly Season<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n In the last 2 years the world has been riding that crazy Coronavirus coaster ride and before that, Australians were in a melting pot with raging fires all over the countryside! We have had waves of lockdowns, some states in lockdown for a seemingly forever state.<\/p>\n An intense couple of years? \u2013 that\u2019s an understatement!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n Ever wondered why they call it the silly season? In Australia the silly season refers to the Christmas and New Year festive period, where Aussies are fond of getting out and about to socialise. Then add at times, copious amounts of alcohol and shenanigans as part of the celebration to end a hectic year in the height of a sizzling Australian summer!<\/p>\n What could go wrong you say?!!<\/strong><\/p>\n The result? Generally, some silly outcomes, silly decisions, or silly mistakes are on the cards hence –<\/p>\n This year we are likely set for the biggest silly season<\/strong><\/em> yet!<\/p>\n Why is that?<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n With COVID-19 changing the shape of our lives as we know it, the constant pressures of modern life combined with pandemic fatigue<\/a> \u2013 It is more likely that people will be partying harder, letting loose as \u2018freedom\u2019 days are on the horizon. The pandemic has set a level of uncertainty for the future, and it has caused a great deal of stress and overwhelm for many people. Which is why we have published this blog with important Silly Season Safety Tips!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many people are feeling stressed and overwhelmed<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Upon reflection of the past 20 months, people have missed out on school formals, milestone birthdays, graduations, getting married, seeing loved ones, and being able to say goodbyes at funerals just to name a few. On top of that, there is the daily drama of physical distancing and constantly living with this invisible disease \u2013 one that we are told will weave its way constantly into our future lives.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s just keep it real and talk about the hard stuff\u2026\u2026tips to keep you safe during the Silly Season in 2021!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Schoolies is fast approaching. If you are my age, cast your mind back to what that was like when venturing out for that moment of freedom! Fast forward to today, add in all the complexities of social media, plus a pandemic and you will see that our youth need some extra support. Often our youth feel invincible\u2026.and we know sadly that statistics say they are not.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Pass on the gift of education – helping our young people<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n No judgement, no lectures, just simple measures of what to do if something goes wrong. Education around First Aid management goes a long way for building REAL LIFE skills.<\/a> At the end of the day, wouldn\u2019t you feel better knowing that your teens are prepared to potentially help save the life of a mate?<\/p>\n More than that, it\u2019s not just about the physical first aid, it\u2019s also about the mental health and well-being of our youth \u2013 likely to be the most impacted of communities during the pandemic. F.A.S.T. First Aid Training<\/a> can support by providing real practical strategies and training. Teaching our youth how to respond using any everyday item to grab during an emergency. It\u2019s not likely they are going to carry a first aid kit with them! It\u2019s these practical strategies that will make all the difference, plus learning about critical self-care strategies to also help them build resilience.<\/p>\n Now that is a statement! I think over the past 18 months we all feel like we\u2019ve been sinking at times, however, let\u2019s talk about the literal word \u2013 drowning<\/a>! If you are Australian, you will know we all have an affinity with the water, however drinking alcohol and jumping in for a swim \u2013 yeah \u2013 nah \u2013<\/strong><\/em> they simply don’t mix. Drownings happen in any season; however, the majority happen in the December and January months. Is that coincidental that it aligns with the silly season and summer safety?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Drinking and jumping in for a swim simply don’t mix<\/em><\/p>\n More distraction, inhibitions lowered = more risk, sadly resulting in more drownings. More than 40%<\/strong> of the 770<\/strong> people who drowned in Australia\u2019s inland waterways in the past 10 years had been drinking (reported in the Sydney Morning Herald \u2013 2016<\/em>). This confirms that there is a strong link between alcohol, drownings and risk taking in the water.<\/p>\n You then add adults drinking during the silly season, who are responsible for supervising young children in the water and that could spell disaster.<\/p>\n What can you do?<\/strong><\/p>\n Notice the key word here? Hydration is key<\/a>! We live in a hot, humid climate, so dehydration is a constant battle just from a weather perspective! Add in some alcoholic drinks and it ups the ante for dehydration.<\/p>\n Remember to keep hydrated<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n For every alcoholic drink a person has, they should also have a full glass of water. This will help to limit the amount of alcohol they consume. If you are having a party, as host, make sure your guests have plenty of access to water and ice top-ups during the festive celebrations, plus plenty of food and non-alcoholic options.<\/p>\n Now that sounds simple, doesn\u2019t it? yet as many have seen during the pandemic, may be harder for some to deliver on. The truth is we don\u2019t know how difficult it is in someone else\u2019s patch, so always important to be kind. We are currently seeing unprecedented levels of stress and overwhelm<\/a> for many people, from all walks of life, and traditional services are not equipped to help simply because of the volume of people requiring support. We have expanded our services to include a Mental Health and Well-being focus – to be there for you.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You never know what is happening in someone else’s patch – be kind<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you are heading to the work functions, you are still on the clock at work. Just keep that one in mind, as people often forget that bit! If you wish to stay in the good books with HR, you will need keep your behaviour in check.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n That works both ways too, an employer also has an obligation to the worker to ensure the venue is safe, excessive alcohol is not being served and employees are following the business\u2019s code of conduct. Save your shenanigans for a different audience!<\/p>\n Now you might be wondering how this makes it into this list! Risk is not only related to alcohol, but the silly season can also promote some reckless spending leaving you struggling to get back on your feet in the new year.<\/p>\n Don’t let the Silly Season see your finances get out of control<\/em><\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t already, invest in a budgeting app to keep you across your spending and make it easier for yourself as you get through the Christmas period.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The last 20 months has been exhausting for this sector. COVID management has put enormous strain on the services, the resources, and our wonderful people working in the healthcare and social services industry. What an incredible job they have done, keep doing and the daily challenge of the pandemic continues to create such complexities.<\/p>\n Do your part and volunteer in 2021<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The sad truth is, this sector is inundated with a call for services during the festive period, for unexpected harms and experiencing injuries like broken bones, sprains, drowning or as we see each year, accidental deaths. This occurs largely due to the binge drinking culture that many Australians have adopted. This could be your time to turn the tables \u2013 to instead, be of service \u2013 to volunteer. Since the pandemic hit, many in this sector have seen a significant drop in volunteers. Here is a chance for you to be a part of the solution and help to fix the problem.<\/p>\n At a time when people are celebrating the end of the year, the drinks are flowing and people are enjoying some time out, look around you. You might be surprised to see that some people are masking their loneliness, isolation, and despair, more than ever during the pandemic. Reach out to those in your community, spend some time helping others.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Reach out – the last 20 months have been harder for some – a conversation could make all the difference<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A small investment \u2013 a conversation, a helping hand<\/strong> <\/em>\u2013 it may just mean the world to just one person.<\/p>\n If the pandemic has taught us anything, it has taught us to be grateful for what we have. Here in Australia, we are truly blessed to have nature right here on the doorstep. Spend more time reconnecting with nature – small steps in the right direction. Your mind, body and soul will thank you for it. It will help you to lower levels of stress and keep you in a better frame of mind ahead of the Silly Season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Opt outside – get back to nature<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There you have it! The 9 tips<\/strong> to keep you safe this Silly Season!<\/p>\n F.A.S.T. <\/a>have been enormously supported by our clients and community over the past year. Navigating the way with you, in and out of lockdowns and weaving through the pandemic to keep things moving and on track.<\/p>\n We send a heartfelt thank you, for being there with us<\/a> along this journey and looking forward to working alongside you<\/a> in 2022!<\/p>\n Wishing our clients and readers a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Hope you find these tips useful to stay safe during the Silly Season:)<\/p>\n Silly Season Tips to Keep Safe in 2021 We are fast approaching the silly season! The weather is warming up, the days are getting longer \u2013 can you feel it in the air? Summer is just around the corner. These tips will help keep your family safe this summer. Summer is around the corner […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[157,140],"tags":[510,758,757],"class_list":["post-2164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-first-aid-cpr-education","category-mental-health","tag-christmas-safety","tag-home-safety","tag-summer-safety"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTHE SILLY SEASON!<\/h3>\n
![\"lady-feeling-stressed](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_8775b23251364f41b68008d7c1423c17mv2-300x130.webp\")
<\/p>\nTeach our young ones how to cope – Silly Season Safety<\/h3>\n
![\"young-teens-learning-first-aid](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_9922f94b30d44c74a438908a5dcdf4ffmv2-225x300.webp\")
<\/p>\nKeeping your head above water!<\/h3>\n
![\"person-drowning](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_8cd16fd239f042af866349ac689d321cmv2-300x200.webp\")
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Hydration, hydration, hydration!<\/h3>\n
![\"lady-drinking-water\"](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_8387534f0ad141119a66a6e9ea4bea3amv2-300x200.webp\")
<\/p>\nBe Kind<\/h3>\n
![\"be-kind-message-in-hand](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_76d44972def743e6bfa07c61a0dd7a73mv2-286x300.webp\")
<\/p>\nShenanigans and Code of Conduct<\/h3>\n
![\"Group](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_bfd908296cc548bd91f065740abbc097mv2-300x200.webp\")
<\/p>\nInvest in a budgeting App<\/h3>\n
![\"dollars-going-up\"](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_075fbc241b41415c9b7f9b5411e97451mv2-300x300.webp\")
<\/p>\nHelp our healthcare and social services industry \u2013 turn the tables<\/h3>\n
![\"hands-in-air-volunteer](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_b6be7ed37edf4804af4ad77533868f8fmv2-300x200.webp\")
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Invest time in your community<\/h3>\n
![\"lady-covering-face-alone](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_2d34fa3d942d4756928e83db11bd0e47mv2-300x200.webp\")
<\/p>\nGet back to Nature<\/h3>\n
![\"people-walking-through-rainforest](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_15f93b9c6b42457bb6e75f14b369ec3emv2-300x200.webp\")
<\/p>\n![\"Blog](\"https:\/\/fasttrainingaustralia.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/5f52ca_a0ba6cde94be401bb82b220ba45a47a8mv2-300x300.webp\")
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