The City of Amarillo is reminding residents to remember the DEET acronym to avoid mosquitoes over the July 4th holiday.
The DEET acronym was developed to help people remember the ways to protect themselves against mosquitoes. Because warmer temperatures have led to more mosquitoes in the area, the visibility of DEET has increased.
DEET stands for:
Drain all standing water
Dress in long sleeves and pants
DEET: wear insect repellant with DEET
Daily: all day every day
The City is also reminding residents to be cautious with food over July 4th. Food caution tips from the City include:
Start with clean hands, a clean grill and clean utensils.
Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm, soapy water. Hand washing is the most important thing a person can do to prevent illness.
Keep food refrigerated until ready for use.
Avoid the “Danger Zone.” Bacteria can grow rapidly between 41 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do not leave food unrefrigerated for more than two hours (one hour if the air temperature is above 90 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep leftovers in a refrigerator or cooler with ice or ice packs to keep food cold.
Avoid cross-contamination. Cross-contamination can occur when a cutting board or plate that held raw food comes into contact with foods that are ready to eat. For example, do not cut vegetables for your hamburger on the same surface that was used to cut or season chicken.
Always marinate foods in a refrigerator using a glass or plastic food-safe container.
Use a thermometer to check the temperature of the meat you are cooking to ensure it is cooked thoroughly. Undercooked meat can be dangerous because it has not reached a high enough temperature to kill any bacteria that may be present.
As a general rule for cookouts, cook all meats to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Keep your grill clean by removing grease or fat buildup from the grills and in trays below the grill.
Never leave your grill unattended.