Summer Resources
Massachusetts Unhealthy Heat Forecast
Stay informed with real-time heat forecasts and community resources to help you plan, prepare, and respond to unhealthy heat in Massachusetts.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-unhealthy-heat-forecast
Massachusetts Air Quality Map
Get current air quality data.
https://eeaonline.eea.state.ma.us/dep/massair/web/#/pollution/map/max
Celebrate Safely - Heat and Health Tips for Watch Parties and Summer Events
https://www.mass.gov/celebrate-safely-heat-and-health-tips-for-watch-parties-and-summer-events
PDF: Celebrate Safely This Summer: Heat and Weather Safety Tips
PDF: Prevent and treat heat-related illness
The following is a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The MDPH offers a summer safety guidance to make sure you and your loved ones are staying safe this summer. The original press release can be found here.
PRESS RELEASE
Massachusetts Department of Public Health offers summer safety guidance
BOSTON — With summer approaching, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) reminds residents to take recommended common-sense precautions to keep everyone, especially young children, safe this summer.
“Summer is a time to make the most of the outdoors with family and friends,” said Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein, MD, PhD. “Whether that is spending time in the water, on a hike, at the park, or in the backyard, taking a few simple precautions can help make these seasonal activities as safe as they are fun.”
Prevent Tick Bites
Certain kinds of ticks can bite and make you sick with diseases like Lyme disease and Powassan virus. Ticks are most commonly found in damp, grassy, brushy, or wooded areas, including your own backyard. Follow these steps to help protect yourself from tick bites:
- Use tick repellents with an EPA-registered active ingredient; always follow the directions on the label.
- Weather permitting, wear long-sleeved, light-colored shirts and long pants tucked into socks. This will help keep ticks away from your skin and make it easier to spot ticks on your clothing.
- After spending time outdoors, a shower can help rinse off a tick before it becomes attached and putting your clothes in the dryer on high heat for 10 minutes can help kill ticks.
- Check yourself for ticks once a day; if you find an attached tick, remove it promptly using fine tweezers or a tick removal tool.
- Pets that spend time outdoors are exposed to ticks, too, and may bring ticks back inside. Talk to your veterinarian about the best ways to protect your animals from ticks and tick-borne disease.
Prevent Mosquito Bites
There were four human cases of the mosquito-borne disease Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and 18 of West Nile virus (WNV) in Massachusetts last year. The risk for human infection of EEE or WNV starts to increase in mid to late summer and DPH posts updates about local risk throughout the season on the Massachusetts Arbovirus Update page.
To prepare for mosquito season:
- Drain standing water in and around your house or yard to prevent mosquito breeding.
- Repair window and door screens to keep mosquitoes out of your home.
- Use a mosquito repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient according to the directions.
- Wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks to reduce exposed skin when weather permits.
For more information about preventing mosquito and tickborne illness, visit DPH’s Mosquitoes and Ticks page.
Prevent Rabies Exposures
All mammals (animals with fur) can get rabies and more than 100 rabid animals are usually found every year in Massachusetts. Most of these are wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, woodchucks, and foxes, but some pets (especially cats) and farm animals also get rabies.
People are most commonly exposed to the rabies virus when an infected animal bites them, or when the animal’s saliva gets into a scratch or the person’s eyes, nose, or mouth. People who are bitten or scratched by an animal, or who find a bat in a room where someone was sleeping, or with a young child or pet, should call their local board of health or the DPH Division of Epidemiology at 617-983-6800 for advice.
Other rabies prevention steps include:
- Teach children never to approach animals they don’t know – even if they appear friendly.
- Report any animal that seems sick or injured to the local animal control official.
- Enjoy wild animals from a distance and do not keep wild animals as pets.
- Make sure pets are vaccinated against rabies. By law, all dogs, cats, and ferrets must be regularly vaccinated against rabies.
- Don’t leave food or water for pets outside. Even empty bowls will attract wild and stray animals.
- Do not let pets roam freely. Keep them in a fenced yard or on a leash.
- Keep garbage securely covered. Open garbage will attract wild or stray animals.
- Keep chimneys capped and repair holes in attics, cellars, and porches to help keep wild animals like bats and raccoons out of the house.
Water and Pool Safety
Drowning is a leading cause of death among young children, nationally and in Massachusetts. To help prevent water-related injury and drowning:
- Only swim at or within designated swimming areas. Swimming outside of the designated swimming areas, or at waterfronts where swimming is prohibited, can be dangerous.
- Keep a close eye on children near the water. Parents and other guardians serve as the first and primary line of safety for their children.
- Use the buddy system and always tell someone where you are going.
- Teach children to always ask permission before going near the water.
- Do not dive headfirst into the water.
- Do not swim during a storm or when there is lightning.
- Do not swim beyond your skillset.
- For those who cannot swim, keep to shallow areas or use a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket. DPH, in cooperation with the USCG, has created a fit test video that can assist with proper fit testing of life jackets: https://youtu.be/1I3VZf-NqPc.
- Do not use toys such as “water wings” or “noodles” in place of life jackets. These are not designed to keep swimmers safe.
- Enroll children in swimming lessons. Each year, the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) provides free swimming lessons to children at select pools across the state in July and August through the Learn to Swim program. DCR will open registration for its Learn to Swim program on June 14, 2025.
In public swimming areas:
- If caught in a rip current, do not swim against it. Swim parallel to the shoreline to escape it and then at an angle toward the beach.
- If a person in your group goes missing, check the water and notify lifeguards and park staff immediately.
- Look for signage at beaches. DPH collects beach water quality data and notifies the public about bacteria levels to minimize swimming-associated illness and injury.
Consider becoming a lifeguard: DCR is recruiting lifeguards to work at agency-managed inland and coastal beaches, as well as swimming pools. Candidates can earn up to $27/hr and can still earn up to $750 in bonuses. For more information, visit DCR’s lifeguarding website.
Helmet Safety
A helmet can protect you from serious injury, like concussions and skull fractures, and death when biking, rollerblading, skateboarding, using a scooter, or an all-terrain vehicle (ATV). Helmets should be worn at all times by all riders, regardless of age, ability, purpose, or duration of activity.
- A helmet should fit properly and be worn consistently, be well-maintained, age-appropriate, and appropriately certified for use. All helmets should have a secure buckle to keep them from falling off on impact.
- It is important to avoid hits to the head, even while wearing a helmet.
Window Safety
Falls are the leading cause of injury to children. Falls from windows involving young children are especially serious – and preventable. Screens are not strong enough to protect children from falling out of windows. To prevent window falls, parents and caregivers should:
- Keep furniture – and anything a child can climb on – away from windows.
- Open windows from the top, not the bottom, when possible and lock all unopened doors and windows.
- Be sure children are always supervised.
- Install quick-release window guards which can be found in most hardware stores.
To learn more about childhood injury prevention, visit the DPH Injury Prevention and Control Program website.
Car Safety
Leaving children and animals inside of a vehicle can be very dangerous. In the summer months in New England, the temperature in a closed car can rise quickly, and the vehicle can become a deadly place for a child or animal left in it, even for just a moment.
To keep young children and animals safe in and around cars:
- Never leave children or animals alone in a parked vehicle, even when they are asleep or restrained, and even if the windows are open.
- Always check inside the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away.
- If a child is missing, check your vehicle first, including the trunk.
- Do things to remind yourself that a child or animal is in the vehicle, such as placing your purse or briefcase in the back seat so you will check there when you leave the vehicle.
- Always lock your car and keep the keys out of children’s reach.
- Ensure adequate supervision when children are playing in areas near parked motor vehicles.
If you see a child or animal alone in a hot vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible and call 911 immediately.
All children ages 12 and under should ride in the back seat, properly restrained, even during quick errand trips. Infants and toddlers should remain in rear-facing car seats until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their car safety seat manufacturer. More information on child passenger safety is available on the DPH website.
Sun and Heat Protection
Climate change is increasing the number, as well as the intensity, of extreme heat events in Massachusetts. High temperatures and increased sun exposure mean that additional precautions should be taken when spending time outside, either recreationally or on the job, to reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke.
- Seek shade and take breaks from the sun throughout the day. Use air conditioning if available - otherwise, use fans, take cool showers, or visit public cooling centers.
- Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Drinks like coffee and soda that contain caffeine may dehydrate, so they should be followed with water.
- Wear sunglasses, sunscreen (SPF of at least 30) 15-20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours, and wear protective clothing to avoid sunburn.
- When possible, limit outdoor activities during the hottest hours (10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), seek shade and wear light, breathable clothing.
- Check for Heat-Related Symptoms, including unusually heavy sweating, shortness of breath, dizziness, and more.
- Avoid outdoor activity when air quality is low. An air quality monitoring map is available on the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection page.
To stay informed with real-time heat forecasts and community resources to help you plan, prepare, and respond to unhealthy heat in Massachusetts visit the Unhealthy Heat Forecast Website.
Additional tips on sun and heat protection can be found on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Extreme Heat and Your Health Website or the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) website.
Heat-Related Illnesses
Heat Stroke happens when you cannot regulate your body temperature. Your body temperature will rise quickly, your sweating response will fail, and your body will not be able to cool itself. When this happens, your body temperature can rise to 103° F or higher within 10-15 minutes, and if treatment isn't initiated, it can result in permanent disability or even death.
Know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and some tips to help prevent them:
Heat-Related Illness: Signs, Symptoms, and Prevention
Heat Advisory
With the upcoming heat advisory, stay cool and informed in the hot weather by following these tips:
• Limit the amount of time you spend in the sun and stay indoors if you can.
• Stay hydrated!
• Try to stay in an air-conditioned space when you can and do not rely on fans as a primary cooling device. Fans create an air flow and false sense of comfort, but does not reduce your bodies temperature or prevent heat-related illnesses.
• Cover windows with drapes or shades.
• Always check your car for children and pets. Heat can rise up 20 degrees in a car in just 10 minutes.
• Take cool showers or baths.
• Check in on your loved one and those at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.
For more information, visit:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/extreme-heat-safety-tips
.
Beaches
Check if your Local Beaches are Safe this Summer
by using the “Interactive Beach Water Quality Dashboard” on Mass.Gov
Massachusetts has 1,100 fresh water and marine beaches in 220 communities.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH)
has an interactive dashboard, that residents can use at any time, to check for water quality testing results for
Massachusetts beaches and for any open or closure of beaches.
To access this interactive dashboard, you can use the following link:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/interactive-beach-water-quality-dashboard
*The dashboard is updated hourly between 8am-5pm every day (including weekends) during the beach season.
For more information on:
- Beach Closures
- Beach Water Quality
- Potential Exposure by Swimming in Contaminated Waters
- and more
**Please note that the document above was generated using information from mass.gov using the links below:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/interactive-beach-water-quality-dashboard
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/frequently-asked-questions-about-monitoring-water-quality-at-beaches
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/recreational-water-quality
What do the Beach Warning Flags Mean?
Beach warning flags are used to warn swimmers of conditions, to warn of hazards, to identify safer areas for swimming, and to notify beach users about regulated areas. The flags are used to keep individuals safe and should be followed when posted.
Flag Definitions
The following are specific definitions for each of the flags.
- Yellow – Medium hazard. Moderate surf and/or currents are present. Weak swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. For others, enhanced care and caution should be exercised.
- Red – High hazard. Rough conditions such as strong surf and/or currents are present. All swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. Those entering the water should take great care.
- Double red – Water is closed to public use.
- Purple – Marine pests, such as jellyfish, stingrays, or other marine life which can cause minor injuries are present in the water. This flag is not intended to indicate the presence of sharks.
- Red/yellow (halved red over yellow) – The area is protected by lifeguards. These flags may be used in pairs spaced apart to indicate a designated area or zone along a beach or waterfront that is most closely supervised or patrolled by qualified lifeguards, and where swimming and/or body surfing is permitted. These flags may be used singly to indicate that swimming is permitted in front of the area where the flag is flown and that the area is under the supervision of a qualified lifeguard.
- Black/White (quartered) – These flags may be used in pairs spaced apart to indicate a designated area or zone along a beach or waterfront that is used by those with surfboards and other non-powered watercraft.
- Yellow flag with central black ball – Surfboards and other non-powered watercraft are prohibited.
- Orange windsock – This cone shaped device is used to indicate the direction of offshore winds and to show that it is unsafe for inflatable objects to be used in the water.
- Red/White (quartered) – Emergency evacuation. Swimmers should leave the water because of an emergency. Emergencies may include, but are not limited to, dangerous marine creatures are present, such as a shark, the water is contaminated, or lifeguards need to perform a search of the water area, for example search for a lost child. (The double red flag may alternatively be appropriate.)
The above information can be found on the United States Lifesaving Association here:
https://www.usla.org/page/beach-warning-flags
Heat-Related Illness
Extreme Heat Events
PDF Version: Here
Extreme Heat Alert: Heat Education and Alert Tools
PDF Version: Here
For more information, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/extreme-heat-safety-tips
Heat Stroke happens when you cannot regulate your body temperature. Your body temperature will rise quickly, your sweating response will fail, and your body will not be able to cool itself. When this happens, your body temperature can rise to 103° F or higher within 10-15 minutes, and if treatment isn't initiated, it can result in permanent disability or even death.
Know the signs and symptoms of heat-related illness and some tips to help prevent them:
Heat-Related Illness: Signs, Symptoms, and Prevention
Heat Advisories
During heat advisories, stay cool and informed in the hot weather by following these tips:
• Limit the amount of time you spend in the sun and stay indoors if you can.
• Stay hydrated!
• Try to stay in an air-conditioned space when you can and do not rely on fans as a primary cooling device. Fans create an air flow and false sense of comfort, but does not reduce your bodies temperature or prevent heat-related illnesses.
• Cover windows with drapes or shades.
• Always check your car for children and pets. Heat can rise up 20 degrees in a car in just 10 minutes.
• Take cool showers or baths.
• Check in on your loved one and those at higher risk for heat-related illnesses.
For more information, visit:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/extreme-heat-safety-tips
To see current heat advisories or unhealthy heat alerts, visit:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-unhealthy-heat-forecast
English PDF Version: Here
Food Safety
Other helpful food safety tips for the summer:
USDA: Grilling Food Safely
USDA: Food Safety While Hiking, Camping & Boating
FDA: Eating Outdoors: Handling Food Safely
USDA: Hot Dogs and Food Safety
Fire Safety
Fire Summer Safety Tips
English PDF Version: Here
Spanish PDF Version: Here
Grilling Fire Safety
English PDF Version: Here
Spanish PDF Version: Here
Swim Safety
The leading cause of death among young children ages 1-14 nationally and in Massachusetts.
The highest risk for children under age 5 are backyard pools.
Protect children, families, and loved ones by practicing some of these prevention methods for water-related injury and drowning:
- Make sure children are supervised at all time when around any body of water
- Practice touch supervision when with infant and toddles around any body of water
- Touch supervision is when you are within "arm's reach" of a child
- Do not swim alone in unfamiliar waters
- Do not swim during a storm or when there is lightning
- Always check the mass.gov Beach Dashboard for up-to-date beach closures and water test results before swimming in Massachusetts beaches
There are many prevented methods you can use to ensure that yourself and your loved ones are safe while swimming.
For more information, visit mass.gov for more tips and resources:
MDPH mass.gov | Massachusetts Department of Public Health offers summer safety guidance
mass.gov | Interactive Beach Water Quality Dashboard
Ticks and Mosquitoes
May 2026: City of Lynn Public Health Tick Advisory
City of Lynn Public Health Tick Advisory 2026 - English
City of Lynn Public Health Tick Advisory 2026 - Spanish
Information on West Nile Virus: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/west-nile-virus-wnv
Risk Map (EEE and WNV-MA DPH). Information for specific city/town can be viewed here:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-arbovirus-update
Mosquito-borne disease information from MA DPH: https://www.mass.gov/mosquito-borne-diseases
How to Prevent Tick Bites
Ticks can cause different diseases, such as Lyme disease and Powassan virus. Protect yourself from tick bites by:
- Checking for ticks everyday
- Wear inset repellent with an EPA-registered active ingredient
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants that are tucked into socks when possible to help keep ticks away from your skin
- Check pets that spend time outdoors
Powassan Virus
Powassan virus (POW) causes a rare but serious disease that is spread by the bites of black-legged deer ticks. Approximately 100 cases have been reported in the last 10 years in the US, most in the Northeast and Great Lakes regions. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences reports there have been 16 cases of Powassan virus infection in Massachusetts in the last 10 years. There’s evidence that cases are rising, but it is not clear what is causing the resurgence of POW. Transmission (spread of the disease) can happen when ticks are active. Young ticks are usually active in warm weather between May and August. While adult ticks are active in spring and fall, they can appear any time the winter temperatures are above freezing.
Symptoms
Early disease symptoms include:
- headache, vomiting, and weakness.
Disease progression (severe disease) causes:
- inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or of the membranes around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis)
- Symptoms include confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking, and seizures
Treatment
There is no vaccine for prevention or medicine for specific treatment of the Powassan virus. Treatment consists of supportive care, rest, and fluids to prevent dehydration.
Prevention
While outdoors:
- Avoid brushy, wooded, or grassy areas while outdoors.
- Use a repellant containing DEET.
- Wear long, light-colored pants tucked into socks or boots with a long-sleeved shirt.
- When walking or hiking, keep on designated trails, avoiding the edge habitat where ticks are likely to be.
- Perform thorough inspection for ticks after being outdoors.
- Showering immediately after potential tick exposure may help remove unattached ticks.
- Ask your vet for tick control production/options for your pets.
Sources
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/powassan/about/index.html
Mass.gov: https://www.mass.gov/topics/health-social-services
NIH STAT Pearls: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570599/
Other Tick Prevention Resources:
CDC | Don't Let Ticks Make You Sick - Info and Crossword Puzzle
CDC | Don't Let Ticks Make You Sick - Kids Comic Strip
CDC | Prevent Tick Bites
How to Prevent Mosquito Bites
Mosquitoes can spread diseases like EEE (Eastern Equine Encephalitis) and WNV (West Nile Virus).
The following are suggestions to prepare for mosquito season:
- Remove standing water in and around your house to prevent mosquito breeding
- Prevent mosquitoes from entering your home by repairing any broken window or door screens
- Use insect-repellant that is EPA-registered
- Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants that are tucked into socks when possible to help keep mosquitos away from your skin
Other Mosquito Prevention Resources
MDPH | Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) - English Fact Sheet
MDPH | Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) - Spanish Fact Sheet
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health updates regularly risk level changes about arbovirus.
Arbovirus is transmitted when you are bitten by mosquitos, ticks, or sandflies that are infected with the virus.
Please visit the link below for more information:
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-arbovirus-update