Thanksgiving Emergencies to Avoid This Year
Whether you’ll be traveling or staying home, everyone is getting ready to celebrate should consider Thanksgiving emergencies to avoid them and ensure a happy and healthy holiday. Thanksgiving is one of our favorite holidays because not only does it kick-start the Holiday Season, it brings family and friends together to share good food, laughter and to give thanks for the many blessings in our lives.
However, it’s vital to remember that any festivity also carries its share of health hazards. There are several potential Thanksgiving emergencies to avoid by keeping some simple safety tips.
# 1 – Food Poisoning
Our first of the Thanksgiving emergencies to avoid is food poisoning. Everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving dinner for a whole year, don’t let your family and friends down. These food safety tips will help keep your Thanksgiving meal safe from bacteria and keep your family and friends from getting sick:
- Defrost your turkey in the refrigerator. Place the frozen bird on a tray or pan deep enough to catch any juices and keep it refrigerated until it’s ready to cook
- Depending on the size of your bird, and the temperature you keep in your refrigerator a turkey can take from 3 to 5 days to defrost, so plan ahead
- Cook your turkey until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F
- Refrigerate all leftovers within two hours after serving
# 2 – Fire
Cooking fires triple during Thanksgiving which is why it’s number two on our list of Thanksgiving emergencies to avoid. Follow these tips to minimize the risk of setting your home on fire:
- Never leave food, especially grease, or oils cooking on the stovetop unattended
- Keep flammable items including potholders, oven mittens, kitchen towels, and food wrappers away from the cooktop and oven
- Keep children and pets out of the kitchen area while you are cooking or baking
- Place pot handles away from the edge of the stove, facing towards the rear to avoid someone accidentally knocking them
- Avoid wearing long sleeves, or loose-fitting clothing that could catch fire while in the kitchen
# 3 Alcohol-Related Injuries
Most of us enjoy a drink or two during festivities like Thanksgiving. However, we should remember always to drink responsibly:
- Don’t mix prescription drugs with alcohol without the approval of your doctor. Most medicines don’t interact well with alcohol, and there could be severe adverse effects
- Don’t drink and drive. If you plan on drinking, have a plan and either arrange to stay the night or have someone else drive you home
By drinking responsibly, not only will you be helping avoid another Thanksgiving emergency, you will be able to remember a wonderful time rather than wanting to forget a tragedy.
# 4 Sports-Related Injuries
Having an annual football game is a tradition in many American households, but before you hit the playing field, stop and think!
- If you don’t exercise regularly then you need to get a little more physical activity before the big game day. Try going for walks, or a light jog the weeks or days before thanksgiving, even some jumping jacks at home will help improve your fitness level
- Wear clothes that allow you the freedom to move. Also, make sure your shoes provide excellent traction and stability
- Warm-up before the game, do a couple of laps around the field, some jumping jacks and stretching exercises
- Remember to cool down afterward with some more stretching exercises
- Keep the competition friendly. Try playing tag or flag football instead to help anyone of getting hurt
# 5 Travel Woes
For those of you traveling to visit family, keep in mind that Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel days in America. Therefore it is best if you make a plan well in advance.
- Have an emergency road kit in your car in case of a breakdown or accident
- Get your car, road-ready.
- Keep your eyes on the road, don’t get distracted by text messages or by the other passengers in your car
- Respect all traffic signals
- Avoid traveling while sick with the flu or other viruses
- Wash your hands with soap and water after using the restroom
This Thanksgiving Day lets all vow to do our part to stay safe. Part of staying safe is knowing where to go if an emergency does knock on your door.
Prestige ER will remain open as always to take care of your family and friends in the event of an emergency during the Thanksgiving holiday.
HealthCare.gov recommends that in case of an emergency, you head straight to the closest ER.
You DO NOT need to get prior approval from your health insurance company.
They will cover expenses barring whatever your deductible and coinsurance/copayments are for emergency treatments.
Prestige ER is open and ready to care for you during an emergency in which your health is significantly jeopardized 24/7, we work with all major insurance companies and our Patient Advocate team is available to help you understand your coverage and rights. We will guide and fight for you every step of the way.
They will cover expenses barring whatever your deductible and coinsurance/copayments are for emergency treatments.
Prestige ER is open and ready to care for you during an emergency in which your health is significantly jeopardized 24/7, we work with all major insurance companies and our Patient Advocate team is available to help you understand your coverage and rights. We will guide and fight for you every step of the way. For more information regarding your rights as a patient, view our Insurance Information.
Know Where to Go in the Event of an Emergency
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Part of caring for your health is to know where to go in case of an emergency. Please keep in mind that Prestige ER is Open 24/7 every day of the year, if you need us, we are here for you.
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