3 Tips for Avoiding the Emergency Room on Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving approaches, everyone turns to thoughts of family, friends and turkey with gravy. Here at EHS Insight, however, we’re still thinking about safety!

Sure, we can’t wait for Thanksgiving either: the gathering of friends and family plus all the traditional fare that fills our tables this time of year: what’s not to love? But being who we are, we can’t help thinking about safety. Here are a few tips for ensuring your holiday is as safe as can be.

1. Don’t leave cooking equipment unattended.

Did you know that Thanksgiving is the worst day of the year as far as home cooking fires go? According to the National Fire Protection Association, more fires occur on this day than Christmas or even Christmas Eve when stockings are hanging over the fireplace.

One of the main sources of cooking fires is your stove. Potholders that get tossed aside while cooking may end up too close to a burner, for example. And that gorgeous blouse or tie you bought for the occasion? Watch that it doesn’t dangle too close to the burner.

Finally, for those of you who will be deep-frying that turducken, don’t leave it unattended or you’ll surely have an unsafe disaster on your hands.

2. Know your turkey (or at least how to cook it).

Another source of Thanksgiving danger stems from the turkey itself. If you buy frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the counter. Make sure you allow several days for thawing. If you consider stuffing your turkey, you may want to consider food safety tips from the USDA. Once it’s thawed, cook that turkey: don’t thaw too early or it could start to go bad even if it’s in the fridge. On that note, make sure you cook the turkey all the way: to at least a core temperature of 165 F.

3. Mind your choking safety.

So many people look forward to reconnecting with friends and family during Thanksgiving. The joyous times we spend around the table are punctuated by laughter, stories and sharing.

But don’t let all that socializing turn into a choking hazard situation. If someone suddenly can’t breathe or speak, call 911 immediately. It also helps to familiarize yourself with the Heimlich maneuver.

Now that you’re properly prepared for a safe Thanksgiving, we’ve done our job. Now go out and enjoy the day!