Fighting opioid abuse; preparing for springtime hazards: the latest from ‘Safety First’

Don Teater, medical advisor for prescription drug overdose initiatives at the National Safety Council, has written a new post on the council’s “Safety First” blog, bringing readers up to date on what President Barack Obama’s administration is doing to reduce the opioid epidemic. This includes introducing $1 billion for addiction treatment and creating a task force to make sure public and private insurance will pay for addiction treatment.

In a second entry posted in late March, Deborah A.P. Hersman, president and CEO of NSC, writes that “The arrival of spring means shifting attention to hazards that re-emerge like new buds on the trees.”

Hersman encourages people to perform a “spring safety check” by doing the following:

• Prepare for changing weather, including floods and tornadoes.
• Be ready for different road conditions, such as wet roads, as well as for having to share the road with bikes, scooters and pedestrians.
• Check playground equipment, as winter weather may have damaged the structures.
• Inspect outdoor gear to ensure it’s in good working order.