Holiday hazards: Doctors offer 4 safety tips to help you avoid the ER this Thanksgiving

0

 

Thanksgiving and other holidays are fast approaching, which often means an increased risk of injury opportunities on the road, in the kitchen and in the yard.

Dr. Otto Susec at St. Vincent Evansville, said some of the most common injuries treated in the emergency room are from car accidents, cooking, playing outdoor sports like football and putting up holiday decorations. St. Vincent Evansville is part of Ascension, the nation’s largest nonprofit health system and the world’s largest Catholic Health system.

There are nearly 38,000 unintentional motor vehicle deaths in the U.S. per year, according to the most recent data from The Centers from Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, Thanksgiving is the most common day for home cooking fires to occur, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Here are 4 safety tips to keep in mind as you prepare for the Thanksgiving holiday:

  1. In the kitchen: Watch out for burns and wear proper clothing to protect yourself. If you’re frying a turkey, cook it outside and wear a long-sleeved shirt and pants. Never attempt to deep fry a frozen bird.
  2. On the road: Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination to avoid speeding and feeling rushed. Don’t drive while tired.
  3. In the yard: Some families like to through the football around before turkey time. Pace yourself and be weary of sprains, strains and fractures.
  4. Up on the ladder: Falls on ladders happen frequently so make sure it is on a flat, dry and even surface. Don’t overreach and support the ladder at its base, either with another person holding it in place or by driving a stake into the ground at the base.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PHOTO CAPTION: State Rep. Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville) (left) receives the 2017 Indiana Chamber Legislative Champion award from Mark Lawrence (right), vice president of engagement and innovation for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Nov. 20, 2017, at the Hyatt Regency in Indianapolis. Sullivan was recognized for her work as a co-author of a law expanding pre-K education to low-income Hoosier families.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR