While the Holidays are a fun time to catch up with family and friends, celebrate the year, and look forward to what’s to come, many hidden dangers lurk during seemingly innocent activities. From accidents in the kitchen, to imbibing a little too much, making sure that you are taking the necessary steps to keep you and your family safe is of paramount importance.
Deep Frying Turkey is a Bad Idea
We have all seen the viral videos of deep frying a turkey gone horribly wrong. But according to the National Fire Protection Association, this is a serious issue that cannot be understated. The NFPA estimates that every year, 900 homes are destroyed, 60 people are injured and 5 are killed by a deep fried turkey incident. This amounts to over $15 million in property damage. Obviously, these are startling numbers from something as innocent as deep frying turkey, but need to be taken very seriously this holiday season.
Tips for Deep Frying a Turkey
While experts and I agree that deep frying a turkey is a generally poor idea, and we do not suggest that you try this at home, if you do decide to do so, there are some important safety tips to keep in mind. These are the top safety tips if you must deep fry a turkey, from FEMA.
- Make sure your fryer is outside and at least 10 feet away from your home or any eave or awning.
- Keep your fryer on stable ground and make sure that it is not tilting or imbalanced.
- Do not overfill your pot – make sure that you test it with water first, and ensuring that your turkey does not displace the water over the edge.
- This one is critical – a partially frozen turkey WILL cause the oil to splatter, which can cause serious burns and potentially catch fire.
- Ensure there is a thermometer on your fryer – overheated oil can splatter or catch fire
- Always keep kids and pets at least 3 feet away from the pot
Don’t Drink and Drive
This should go without saying, but every year 37% of accident related deaths occur due to drunk drivers on any given holiday. Drinking and driving is not only illegal but incredibly dangerous for you and your community. In most states, a blood alcohol content of 0.08mg/dL is considered drunk and in every state is a felony charge. Don’t ruin your holiday season with a horrible accident, or a criminal charge.
If you get hurt in a car accident on New Years, after contacting the police and your insurance, contacting an expert car accident attorney can make sure that your holiday season isn’t ruined by insurance company shenanigans.
Be Careful Hanging Up Lights
While exciting for some, and another honey-do for others, hanging up lights for the holidays is a crucial part of many families celebration. However what can be fun, could quickly turn dangerous.
According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, around 14,000 people a year are sent to the ER by Christmas decoration related injuries. While shocking (no pun intended), this could happen to you if you are not careful.
From stepping on a broken ornament, shocking yourself on a strip of lights, throwing your back out from reaching too high, or falling off a ladder, there are many injuries to be cautious of when decorating your house.
Simple Safety Tips
- Don’t overexert yourself. If you can’t reach something, use a step stool or a ladder instead of reaching. If you feel too tired, take a quick break to regain some stamina.
- If you are using a ladder, make sure that it is on stable ground and not leaning up against anything that could break or bend. You don’t want a Christmas Vacation type situation happening during your Christmas.
- When hanging up ornaments, make sure to wear closed toe shoes. Stepping on glass can be a trip to the ER that you don’t need.
- Inspect your Christmas lights for any signs of breakage or wear. This could be a potential shock hazard and could potentially start a fire.
Fireworks are Not Safe, and neither is Celebratory Gunfire
While the New Year is rung in with a lot of fanfare and noise, using fireworks and guns to celebrate this momentous occasion is not only irritating, but also extremely dangerous.
According to 1point21 Interactive’s data visualizer, 95% of celebratory gunfire incidents happen on July 4, December 31, or January 1. Even the smallest commercially available bullet can travel over half a football field and be going fast enough to penetrate the skull. Celebratory gunfire is just a bad idea.
Similarly, fireworks are just as bad of an idea for New Years. More than 11,000 people go to the emergency room each year from firework-related injuries. Injuries sustained include lost limbs, burns, eye damage, hearing damage, and even death.
It is easier, safer, and more cost effective to leave the fireworks to the professionals who are licensed and trained to handle these explosive devices.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock