Volume 3   Issue  37                      December   2004

                 

Consumer Alert: Holiday safety
WIS News, December 22, 2004

The holidays are best spent with loved ones, but there's always the potential for accidents. Every year, more than 18,000 people die from an unintentional injury that occurs in the home. During this time of year, the potential for accidents is heightened.

Christmas trees and holiday decorations add a festive flair to any home, but Sarah Griese with Midlands Safe Kids says if you aren't careful you could put your family in a dangerous situation.

• Make sure your tree has a good sturdy base, plenty of water and that it's in a "safe" location. Griese says, "You never want to place your Christmas tree near a fireplace, space heater or radiator, tend to catch fire easily."

• Before you put lights on your tree, inspect them carefully. Greise's tip is to, "plug them up making sure all the lights work, you want to make sure there's no broken bulbs and wires are not frayed"

• If you're putting up lights outside, make sure they are certified for outdoor use. Instead of stapling or nailing them up, wrap the lights around trees or railings.

• Back inside, if you decide to warm up by the fire, remember small sparks could shoot out, so you need to take down the stockings. People with pets or small children in their homes need to take other special precautions.

• Don't put packages under the tree that have food or other smelly items they can get into.

• Avoid sharp or breakable ornaments.

• Remember children can easily mistake shiny or colorful ornaments for toys. Griese says, "You want to place small ornaments towards the top of the tree so young children can't get their hands on them"

Each year, thousands of people end up in the ER because of holiday mishaps. Dr. Dave Ford, ER physician, warns, "Children should never plug in the lights of Christmas, that's an adult job. Make sure the children aren't chewing on the light either, they can get into the socket and electrocute themselves that way or start a fire."

Also, a lot of ER trips happen as a result of falls from ladders and roofs. Dr. Ford urges caution, "You need to be careful on the roof. Have another adult nearby if you're on the roof, definitely. And make sure the grade is such that you're not going to fall. If you're on a ladder, top two steps, stay off of those."

Plants can also cause poisoning problems, especially some of the popular holiday species. Just in case, the phone number for the Poison Control Center is 1-800-222-1222.
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