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Holiday Safety Tips The holiday season can be a time for accidents and injuries. Any change in routine can result in problems. Kathe Conlon, B.S.N, R.N., Community Burn Nurse Educator for The Saint Barnabas Burn Foundation, recalls a story shared with her by a woman who had been badly burned while preparing the Thanksgiving turkey. As she removed the turkey from the oven, the aluminum pan that held the large bird suddenly buckled. The women tried to keep the pan from falling, and hot juices poured forth onto her skin. “Holidays are a deviation from the normal routine,” says Ms. Conlon. “We may visit a grandparent’s house that is not babyproofed, or navigate a home with an unfamiliar layout, or prepare a new meal. Accidents happen because of the newness of the situation.” This is true even for a seasoned burn professional. Last year, Ms. Conlon relates, she accidentally set one of her mother’s dish towels on fire while removing a pumpkin cheese cake from the oven. She could not locate the oven mitts in the unfamiliar kitchen. Many holidays involve candles and lights, which can have a festive effect if used properly. Burn Center educators recommend that candles be positioned in a glass or nonflammable container. They should be kept away from curtains or any object that can be blown in the direction of the flame. Lighted candles should never be left unattended. For electric lighting, UL-approved decorations should be used and there should never be more than three strands of lights connected into one extension cord. Sockets should be kept dry and outdoor lighting should only be used outside. The Burn Center educators caution that trees and wreaths should be placed far from hot, dry places, such as the fireplace. The freshest evergreens are the safest; needles should bend, not drop when brushed by hand. Live decorations should never be burned, and the same can be said for gift-wrapping. “The inks and dyes that compose ribbons, paper and garlands break down into poisonous gases when burned,” says Ms. Conlon. “They should be placed in the trash.”
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