The white-capped beach nester — common to the state's coast, has plumage to protect his skin from sun 



Weather -proofing your beach trip — for safety's sake 



If nature answered to a truth-in- 

 packaging law, there might always be a 

 disclaimer like this stamped across the 

 sky: 



"Caution: The weatherman has 

 determined that today could be hazar- 

 dous to your health." 



To stay one jump ahead of mishap at 

 the coast, do a little planning and keep 

 an eye on the elements. These" are the 

 basic trouble-makers to look out for: 



Sunburn 



A few hours of carelessness, or too 

 much hurry for a golden tan, can spoil 

 a vacation. Take a tip from the people 

 who live at the coast: wear clothing, in- 

 cluding a hat. 



Says Dr. James A. Finger, the 

 Health Director in New Hanover 

 County, "The way to prevent sunburn 

 is to minimize your exposure to the 

 sun, and wear protective clothing." 



Mild sunburn, Finger says, can be 

 soothed with commercial lotions and 

 ointments. Severe burns and those 

 with blistering are medical problems 

 and require treatment by a doctor. 



Finger suggests that a person's first 

 sunbathing sessions of the season be 

 limited to 15 minutes, with gradual in- 

 creases over the summer, as the skin 

 becomes more pigmented. The well- 

 tanned sunbather can take up to two 

 hours of sun, he says. Screening lotions 

 can extend the safe exposure times, but 

 only by about a third. 



Remember, clouds don't shield you 



completely from radiation, and it's 

 very easy to toast yourself on a cloudy 

 day. 



Heat stroke 



If you're planning some rigorous ac- 

 tivity outdoors at the coast, take a few 

 precautions against heat exhaustion 

 and heat stroke. 



Overheating, combined with the loss 

 of chloride and bodily fluids, can 

 dangerously raise the body's tem- 

 perature, drop the blood pressure and 

 cause shock. The victim of heat ex- 

 haustion or stroke should be moved 

 into cool shade to wait for a doctor. 



To prevent overheating, protect 

 your head from the sun, drink water 

 and exercise in moderation. Salt tablets 

 can reduce the risk of heat exhaustion, 

 if they are dissolved before ingestion, 

 Finger says. 



Lightning 



Lightning kills more Americans each 

 year than any other weather hazzard. 



If you're outside — on a golf course, a 

 beach or in a boat — when a thun- 

 derstorm approaches, find shelter. The 

 safest places are indoors or in a car, 

 where tires provide some insulation 

 from electricity. Avoid trees or 

 anything tall that will attract lightn- 

 ing. If you're boating and can't reach 

 shore, go into the cabin. The safest 

 place in an open boat is the floor. 



How do you know when to take 

 cover? Albert Hinn suggests that you 



keep track of the lightning and notice if 

 it's coming closer. 



"Time the number of seconds it 

 takes from when you first see lightning 

 to when you first hear thunder," Hinn 

 says. "If it takes about five seconds to 

 hear the thunder, you've got roughly a 

 mile of distance from you to where that 

 lightning is occuring." 



If a companion is struck, don't 

 assume the worst. Use first aid for 

 shock and call a doctor. Even if the 

 person seems dead, begin first aid and 

 call an ambulance. Check for a pulse 

 and watch the chest for breathing. If 

 you are trained in cardioplumonary 

 resuscitation, and it seems necessary, 

 use it. 



"More people survive than are killed 

 by lightning strikes," Hinn says. 



Severe storms 



Thanks to modern instruments, 

 large tropical and extra-tropical storms 

 are usually forecast days in advance. 



In recent years, North Carolina has 

 escaped the kind of wholesale destruc- 

 tion caused by hurricanes in the 1950s, 

 although some weather-watchers say 

 that the state's luck is about to run 

 out. 



If a hurricane or tropical-storm 

 watch is issued for the coast, don't plan 

 to travel there until it's been lifted. If 

 you live in the coastal area, make sure 

 your belongings are secured and 

 protected, and find shelter in a solid 

 building situated on high ground. 



