Holiday Safety from the Parish Nurse Ministry

Holiday safety is an issue that burns brightest from late November to mid-January, when families gather, parties as scheduled, and travel spikes. Take some basic precautions to ensure your family remains safe and injury-free throughout the season.

Traveling for the Holidays?

Many people choose to travel during the holidays by automobile, which has the highest fatality rate of any major form of transportation. Alcohol-impaired fatalities represent about one-third of the totals.

• Use a designated driver to ensure guests make it home safely after a holiday party; alcohol, over the counter drugs, or illegal drugs all cause impairment
• Make sure every person in the vehicle is properly buckled up, no matter how long or short the distance traveled
• Put that cell phone away; many distractions can occur while driving, but cell phones are the main culprit
• Properly maintain the vehicle and keep an emergency kit with you
• Be prepared for heavy traffic, and possibly heavy snow

Watch Out for Those Fire Starters: Turkey Fryers

While many subscribe to the theory that any fried food is good - even if it's not necessarily good for you - there is a reason to be on alert if you're thinking of celebrating the holidays by frying a turkey.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports there have been 168 turkey-fryer related fires, burns, explosions, or carbon monoxide poisoning since 2002.

NSC discourages the use of turkey fryers at home and urges those who prefer fried turkey to seek out professional establishments or consider a new oil-less turkey fryer.

Don't Give the Gift of Food Poisoning

• Do not rinse raw meat and poultry before cooking
• Use a food thermometer to make sure meat is cooked to a safe temperature
• Refrigerate food within two hours
• Thanksgiving leftovers are safe for four days in the refrigerator
• Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling boil when reheating
• When storing turkey, cut the leftovers in small pieces so they will chill quickly
• Was your hands frequently when handling food