The holidays are in full swing, and so are the stresses of gift shopping, turkey cooking, party planning, and family visiting are now at the forefront of your minds. When it comes to getting your household ready for the big day, there many potential accidents that could occur. You say to yourself, "That only happens in the movies!" and feel like it could never happen to you, but there are many common accidents during the holidays that you should be aware of. A First Aid certification from Point Positive CPR can give you the skills to respond to holiday emergencies with confidence and appropriate first aid care.
1. Kitchen Injuries
Since people spend so much time in the kitchen cooking for the holidays, many injuries occur in the kitchen. The holiday meal is a big deal! But so is lacerating your finger while carving the bird, or burning your forearm while removing the roasties from the oven. Hot food, boiling water, and sharp knives can make the kitchen particularly hazardous.
1 in 5 people cut themselves preparing vegetables. Cooking fires and injuries from cooking appliances are the most common injuries of the holiday season.
Take it slow, try to keep everyone out of the kitchen but the cook, don't let animals or small children in the kitchen, and stay alert!
2. Falls
One of the main reasons people are hospitalized over the holidays is due to falls from putting up or taking down decorations. 2.6 million people have fallen offa stool or ladder while hanging up decorations. If you think you’re safe because you’re not very high, think again. You don’t have to fall from a great height to injure yourself. Look after yourself by checking your ladder before you use it and ensuring it’s placed on solid even ground.
The stairs can be an accident hotspot during the holidays, especially if you've been drinking or are tired. Be sure to keep the staircase free from objects and well lit.
photo: National Lampoons Christmas Vacation
Don’t decorate alone! Make sure there’s someone nearby who can lend a hand and call for help if needed.
3. Toy Related Trauma
Skateboards, hoverboards, rollerblades, bikes, and scooters are some of the most popular gifts at Christmas, however, they are also the most hazardous. So, if you’re giving a present with wheels, make sure you give the gift of a helmet too.
When playing interactive games on Wii, Playstation or Xbox, make sure you’ve left enough space around you and be sure to use the wrist straps on hand-held controllers.
photo: A Christmas Story
About 2,000 people are treated every winter for lacerations, sprains and more from tripping over toys and cords. Keep on top of clutter and discarded gift wrappings – toys, debris, and trailing cords underfoot can lead to slips and trips, especially when elderly relatives are around.
4. Choking
Glass and fragile decorations should be out of reach of toddlers and pets. Novelty decorations, such as stuffed Santas, reindeer and snowmen may look like toys do not have to comply with toy safety standards and may be dangerous. Keep them out of the reach of children.
Small parts from toys or gadgets, novelties or even burst balloons can easily become a choking hazard for children. Many of the same objects that are small enough to be swallowed also end up firmly stuck in ears and noses, also requiring trips to the doctor and ER.
75 percent of choking deaths occur in children under the age of 3 years, making choking a leading cause of death in infants and toddlers. Always buy age-appropriate toys for your little ones. Make sure there are no small parts that could be a choking hazard.
5. Burns
People are 50% more likely to die in a house fire over the holidays than at any other time of year. Keep candles away from curtains, Christmas trees and decorations, never leave them unattended, and always make sure to blow them out properly before you go to bed.
Keep any Christmas cards, paper decorations and the Christmas tree away from heat sources such as candles, fires or heaters, as they can catch alight and burn easily. A dry Christmas Tree can easily catch on fire. Check the water level every day to make sure your tree doesn’t dry up and put you and your family in serious danger. Check your lights and any other electrically powered holiday decorations over before putting them up. If cables are frayed or fittings damaged in any way, dispose of them.
Check that your smoke alarms are working, so there’s time to get out if a fire does start. Don’t forget to check the Carbon Monoxide alarm too. According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), smoke detectors should be tested at least once a month and batteries should be replaced at least once or twice a year.
The best way to avoid burns is to prevent them from happening. When preparing for the holidays, make sure to pay attention to what you’re doing and keep a well-stocked first aid kit on hand.
6. Food Safety
The last thing you want to do during the holidays is to give yourself or your guests food poisoning. It's all too easy to do with a poorly defrosted or undercooked turkey. Check the defrosting and cooking times well ahead of the day to help with planning timings. Meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs can carry germs that cause food poisoning. Use a food thermometer to ensure these foods have been cooked to a safe internal temperature.
Keep food out of the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F. Bacteria can grow rapidly in the danger zone. After food is cooked, keep hot food hot and cold food cold. Refrigerate or freeze any perishable food within 2 hours. Don’t leave food out on buffets for hours on end – cover and refrigerate anything which could spoil.
Always make sure you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water and dry thoroughly. This is the most effective way of preventing sickness during the holidays. Wash your hands with soap and water during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs:
Before, during, and after preparing food
Before eating food
After using the toilet
After touching garbage
Before and after treating a cut or wound
After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing
As you prepare for the festive season, remember that the potential for accidents is all around. Unfortunately, even a joyous holiday celebration can turn into a life-threatening situation in the blink of an eye. If you possess life-saving skills, you’ll know what to do in a variety of situations. Let’s not forget about the long-lasting benefits of CPR and First Aid training. Someone who understands how to respond in emergencies can provide crucial assistance to cardiac arrest and heart attack victims. Also, this individual will know how to locate and use an automated external defibrillator (AED), perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), give abdominal thrusts to a choking victim, and provide Basic First Aid to holiday-induced injuries.
For those who want to be proactive about holiday safety for themselves, their family, and their friends, it pays to enroll in life-saving training. Point Positive CPR offers courses to teach people in the community how to respond in a wide range of emergencies. These courses blend hands-on and classroom lessons to help individuals understand their roles in life-threatening situations and feel confident in providing life-saving care.
Get certified in CPR/AED and First Aid with Point Positive CPR and learn the skills and the confidence to save a life! Check out our website for more info on the courses we offer. www.pointpositivecpr.com
Comments