PENSACOLA, Fla. — OneBlood, a local blood center, stated in a media release that there is a dramatic increase in the demand for O Negative blood by area hospitals and as a result is urging people with O Negative blood to donate as soon as possible.

The type is in constant demand because O Negative red blood cells can be given to any patient regardless of the recipient’s blood type.

Trauma patients, cancer patients and premature babies are among the people requiring O Negative blood every day.

Generally healthy people age 16 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds can donate blood.

Crestview donor center hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays; 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays; and noon to 5 p.m. Sundays at 2400 S. Ferdon Blvd., Suite B. Phone: 306-2455.

For a list of other One Blood Donor Centers and Big Red Bus blood drives, go to www.oneblood.org/donate-now/.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Center has urgent need for O negative blood donations

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – This month, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is reminding motorists to focus on child safety in vehicles as well as on and around Florida roads as part of Child Safety Awareness Month in August.

DHSMV Executive Director Terry L. Rhodes said, “In the heat of the Florida summer, when more children will be out on the road preparing for the start of school, it is very important to remember that whether driving through a school zone or taking a family trip, motorists must do everything possible to ensure our children arrive alive.”

The department and its partners are also reminding motorists to never leave a child unattended or unsupervised in a motor vehicle. It is extremely hot, especially during the Florida summer, and leaving a child in a car can result in the child’s injury or death.

“It is critically important to ensure the safety of our children in vehicles as they travel our state’s roadways. That means properly restraining children according to their age, size and weight,” said Colonel Gene S. Spaulding, Director of the Florida Highway Patrol. “FHP encourages everyone in the vehicle to buckle up, including passengers in the back seat. Remember, as the caregivers for these young lives, it’s your responsibility to ensure they are safe.”

Additional safety tips for parents and all motorists to keep kids safe in and around vehicles:

●Children under age four must be in a car seat and as of January 1, 2015, children age four and five must be in a car seat or booster seat. Drivers will be charged if any passenger under 18 is not properly buckled in.

●Read the car seat’s instruction manual and the portion of your vehicle’s owner manual when you install a car seat. Visit a local FHP station to ask a car-seat certified trooper to help install your seat.

●In passenger vehicles, children under the age of 13 should be secured in the rear seat; airbags can injure or kill young children in the front seat. Never place a rear-facing car seat in front of an airbag.

●Be alert and watch for children especially near schools, bus stops, school buses and in school parking lots. Always watch for and obey signals from school crossing guards.

●Never sit on the roadway or the curb while waiting for the school bus; wait in a safe place away from the road.

●Children on bicycles can be unpredictable and can make sudden changes in direction. Be especially careful when children are present in school zones and residential areas.

●Be alert while backing up and designate safe play areas away from vehicles.

Visit the DHSMV’s website, www.flhsmv.gov/safety-center/vehicle-and-child-safety/child-safety/, for more information and use the hashtag #ChildSafetyFL throughout the month to add and share important child safety information.

●Preliminarily in 2015, there were 66,091 crashes in Florida involving children under the age of 18, resulting in 25,992 injuries and 149 fatalities, a 25 percent increase in fatalities from 2013.

●Preliminary numbers show that in 2015, 1,165 children were injured wearing no safety restraint in a vehicle and law enforcement issued more than 21,000 citations to motorists for not properly securing children in a vehicle. Florida law requires that all drivers and all passengers under the age of 18 wear a safety belt.

●More than 200 children under the age of 6 were injured in crashes not wearing any type of seat restraint. 

Some statistics

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Florida Highway Patrol offers 7 child safety awareness tips

BAKER — Okaloosa County 4-H presents a full day of fun for youths at the Farm Safety Day Camp.

The event is for children ages 8-18. Those younger than 8 may attend if accompanied by a parent.

The entrance fee is $5 per child for the camp, which is 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Baker Arena, 5503 US Highway 4. The fee includes lunch, a T-shirt, classes and a goodie bag.

Participation is limited to the first 100 applicants.  Activities include archery safety, ATV safety, bug and plant identification and Ranger snake identification.

Parents may also get their car seat installations checked from 9-11 a.m.

The registration deadline is 5 p.m. Sept. 1; call the Okaloosa County Extension Office, 689-5850.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Okaloosa County 4-H sets Farm Safety Day Camp

GAINESVILLE — When you get to college, and you’re trying to eat well, there are so many temptations and challenges — fast foods and late-night pizza, navigating the dining halls, limited transportation to grocery stores.

For most college students, this is the first time living away from home. This new found independence is exciting, but comes with challenges, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher and University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension specialist.

Poor nutrition habits can have a negative impact on health, body weight, and, behaviors formed during this initial period of independence can last a lifetime, said Anne Mathews, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food science. While the so-called “Freshman 15” is a bit of an exaggeration, most college students gain excess weight. On average, college students gain about 7 pounds during the first year, and many continue to gain weight at a slower rate throughout college.

Mathews works as an investigator on a national project that’s trying to get college students to live healthier lifestyles, says you can eat healthy meals in college just by paying attention to a few details.

“Like other adults, the college students we work with choose their foods based on taste, price and convenience,” said Anne Mathews, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of food science and human nutrition and a registered dietitian. “Many also say they select foods based on what they perceive will keep them full for the longest period of time as they are often unsure where and when their next meal will come with classes, club meetings, and hours of studying.”

National statistics show an alarming increase in adolescent obesity, the target of this study. The percentage of people aged 12 to 19 who were obese increased from 5 percent to nearly 21 percent from 1980 to 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Knowing these factors, here are some of Mathews’ tips to help college students live healthfully on campus:

•Keep your favorite fruits and vegetables on hand. If they taste good to you, you are more likely to eat them regularly.

•Aim for at least three different foods at each meal. Pack a few fruits and veggies to go with you each day so you can supplement meals where they aren’t offered, or enjoy as a snack.

•Plan ahead. Glance at your schedule regularly and think about where and what you will eat. Stick to your plan.

•At the dining hall or any other place a meal is offered, scan your choices and fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit first. Then add the entrée.

•Eat a protein-rich food at each meal. Nuts, seeds, cheese and yogurt are easy, convenient choices that you can pack yourself if needed.

•Invest in a great “to go” or lunch box. Pick one that fits your backpack and has compartments to keep foods separate.

•Learn how to make a few simple, healthy meals that don’t require many ingredients or utensils. Search the Internet for easy recipes that can be cooked in a microwave.

•If transportation is a challenge, ask a friend for a ride, ride your bike with a backpack or take the bus on the weekend to the grocery store, and only buy what you can eat and store for the next several days. Avoid buying less healthy snacks like chips and cookies. Spend your money and storage space on your favorite nutrient rich foods.

•Encourage campus organizations to offer healthier options at meetings where food is provided. With a little effort and planning, it can be done.

Mathews is part of team of researchers putting together a nationwide program called Get Fruved. This is a campaign that uses peer interaction to try to get high school and college students to eat more fruits and vegetables, exercise more and manage stress more effectively.

UF students are involved in creating the program from a $4.9 million federal research and extension grant awarded in 2014. Mathews is the primary investigator for UF’s part of the study.

Click on www.fruved.com for more information.

Brad Buck is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences science writer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: University of Florida has student nutrition survival, eating tips