School is out. Organized high school sports are over. Ample parking spaces are available at the grocery stores. The heat is on. Even though the calendar says the first official day of summer isn’t until June 21, those of us left in Fountain Hills know better.

But with the summer months come a myriad of other issues we need to be cognizant of – the danger of prolonged heat exposure, dehydration, drowning possibilities in a backyard pool, teenage boredom, underage drinking parties, increased vandalism, even the bite of a mosquito that could be carrying the potentially deadly West Nile Virus.

It’s impossible to legislate common sense, but we urge homeowners and other citizens to use some of it out there. Watch your kids around water. Drink plenty of water. Use Text-A-Tip if you suspect there are a bunch of teens drinking in the wash or in the house next door. Don’t leave standing water around in the yard so that even more mosquitoes can breed. Slow down when you see guys working out on the streets. Don’t leave pets in the car when running into the store. Don’t mess with a rattlesnake.

Our public safety first responders have enough incidents to work on without adding more to the list that could have been prevented with just a little common sense. Sure, the mercury is rising, but the heat doesn’t have to affect our judgment or our ability to make safe decisions.

Simply put – let’s be smart out there this summer.