|
 Research from the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) reveals that in 2017, on average, U.S. fire
departments responded to a home fire every 88 seconds. And,
Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for cooking fires.
“A few simple steps can ensure that you spend Thanksgiving with your
family and loved ones, not in the emergency department,” said Vidor
Friedman, MD, FACEP, president of ACEP. “Try to avoid doing too many
things at once; burns, fires or lacerations happen when you lose
concentration, get careless with hot liquids or oils, or try to
slice things too quickly.”
DO:
Make sure you have smoke alarms installed near the kitchen, bedrooms
and on each level of the home. Test batteries and make sure that the
devices are fully operational.
Keep a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Contact your local EMS
department for tips on proper training and storage.
Avoid loose clothing or wearing anything that dangles while cooking.
Keep an eye on simmering pots as well as items baking in the oven.
Keep kids and pets away from cooking areas.
Clean cooking areas regularly. Grease build up is a health and
safety hazard.
Double check when you are done cooking that you have turned off the
stove, oven or any appliances.
DO NOT:
Do not throw water on a grease fire. The safest and fastest way to
extinguish a grease fire is to remove oxygen from the flame. The
best ways to do that are to smother it with a lid, another pot or a
blanket. If the fire is not severe, you can cover it with baking
soda.
Do not put a frozen turkey in the oven. Thaw and dry it first.
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column] |
Never deep fry a frozen turkey, it should be completely thawed
out first. And, frying a turkey should be done outside on a flat, non-flammable
structure.
Other steps you can take to ensure a safe Thanksgiving feast include:
Wash your hands thoroughly when handling uncooked meat and keep
it separate from other foods.
Sanitize any surface that touches raw food. The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) recommends that oven temperatures should be no lower than 325
degrees.
If you have allergies and you did not cook the meal yourself, remember to ask
about the ingredients and how food was prepared. Refrigerate all leftovers
within 2 hours.
Pace yourself when a big meal is involved, whether you are preparing, eating or
cleaning up afterward. Chew slowly and carefully to avoid choking. Cut food into
small pieces and make sure children are sitting calmly while eating.
If food gets stuck, don’t panic. Relax and take a drink of water. If you can’t
breathe, bang on something, or do anything you can to get attention and get
help. Have somebody call 911 while somebody else, preferably a person who is
trained in emergency first aid such as the Heimlich maneuver, tries to dislodge
the food.
If your gathering includes alcoholic beverages, drink in moderation. And of
course, do not drink and drive.
More health and safety tips can be found at
www.emergencycareforyou.org.
ACEP is the national medical specialty society representing emergency medicine.
ACEP is committed to advancing emergency care through continuing education,
research and public education. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, ACEP has 53
chapters representing each state, as well as Puerto Rico and the District of
Columbia. A Government Services Chapter represents emergency physicians employed
by military branches and other government agencies.
[Steve Arnoff] |
