Accidental Poisonings Pose Danger to Youth
By Todd Porthan, Paramedic/Firefighter
Young children have an incredible urge to put things in their mouths. Curiosity gets the best of them until they are old enough to understand that some things can be harmful to their health. This curiosity increases the risk of a poison emergency.
In addition to their natural curiosity, young children metabolize toxic substances very quickly, meaning a poison substance will attack a child’s small body much faster than an adult’s. Last year, more than one million children under age 6 were poisoned in the United States. This accounted for over half of all poisonings. While young children make up the largest group, the most serious poisonings typically occur in adolescents and adults.
Approximately 80 percent of all poisonings are unintentional. Half of them involve medication while the other half involve common household products.
Poisons are not just limited to toxins and chemicals with warning labels. Everyday items such as lotions, make-up, hand sanitizers and some foods can be poisonous. Plants, animals and environmental issues can also be poisonous to certain individuals.
Although you should always take poisonings very seriously, most can be treated from home by calling a Poison Control Center.
Approximately 70 percent of poison exposures are managed at home over the phone and do not require treatment. This results in nearly $18 million in health care cost savings.
If you ever question whether or not your child has come into contact with a poisonous substance – from a drink of a botanical shampoo to a scratch or bite from the family pet – call the National Capital Poison Center help line at 1-800-222-1222.
If you know something is poisonous or harmful, call 9-1-1 immediately. In most cases, 9-1-1 operators will contact the Poison Control Center while you are on the line. Want a piece of good advice? Program the Poison Control Center number into your cell phone and home phone. That way, you won’t waste time looking for the number!
While you can keep an over-the-counter emergency treatment on hand such as activated charcoal, never use it without calling 9-1-1 or the Poison Control Center first.
To help prevent poisonings, store all medicine in locked or safety-latched cabinets. Child-proof caps are only a challenge for children, not a sure-fire safety mechanism. Avoid taking pills in front of children who like to imitate. Ask guests to keep toiletries and medication out of reach. Store all toiletries, cleaning products and the like in their original containers, and keep them in a secure place.
Never leave a child alone, even for a second, while using anything that may be harmful. If you live in a home built before 1978, have it tested for lead-based paint. Install and test carbon monoxide detectors. Educate children about animals and provide supervision. Finally, know the correct dosage for all medications, and always check the labels when picking up prescriptions.
Visit the Poison Control Center website at www.MNPoison.org or contact Todd Porthan at 952-826-0330 or edinamail@ci.edina.mn.us.
A Word from the Chief
By Edina Fire Chief Marty Scheerer
Our department has responded to several fires in the last few years caused by faulty appliances and vehicles – many of which had been recalled. Early last year, we even had two vehicle fires take place in separate underground parking garages on the same day. Investigators determined that both fires were caused by recalled vehicles.
Oftentimes, an owner of a recalled product is unaware that a recall has been issued, and therefore does not have the product repaired or replaced. This can even happen to the Fire Chief!
A few years back, I had a microwave oven start on fire in my own home. Turns out, it had been recalled – and I didn’t know! Fortunately, I was home at the time. If one of my children had been using it without an adult around, the outcome could have been much worse.
To stay on top of recalls, I encourage everyone to check the website www.recalls.gov at least once every few months. Sign up for their email alerts! Then, have any recalled products, appliances or vehicles in your home repaired or replaced. In addition to being a fire hazard, some recalled products have been known to cause burns, choking, shock, lacerations and other dangers.
Remember, if a product creates heat like a curling iron, coffeemaker, blow-dryer or iron, there is a chance it could fail and become a fire hazard. Please unplug these types of products when they aren’t in use.
For more information on product recalls, visit www.recalls.gov.
Fire Marshal’s Corner
By Edina Fire Marshal Tom Jensen
Oct. 3-9 is National Fire Prevention Week. Established by President Woodrow Wilson in the 1920s to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Fire Prevention Week is considered the longest-running public health and safety observance still in existence.
This year, the theme of Fire Prevention Week is “Smoke Alarms, A Sound You Can Live With.” In Edina, we have been lucky enough to have few fire-related fatalities. However, according to the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA), nearly 3,000 people die in home fires every year.
To date, over 1,100 people have died in home fire deaths in the U.S. in 2010. As a firefighter, there is nothing more tragic than the aftermath of a family losing a loved one in a fire. What’s most tragic – and frustrating – is the fact that many fire-related deaths could be prevented with working smoke alarms. Roughly two-thirds of all home fire deaths happen in homes with no or non-working smoke alarms.
It’s hard to believe that there are still homes without these life-saving alarms. They, along with carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, are required by law and are hard-wired into most new home construction. However, far too many alarms are disabled, no longer function properly due to age or have dead batteries.
Working smoke alarms cut the chance of dying in a fire nearly in half! They should be installed in all bedrooms, and at the very least, on every level and outside all sleeping areas in the home. If possible, consider having them interconnected. That way, when one sounds, they all sound.
Most fires result from human behavior, so use some common sense when it comes to your prevention efforts! That being said, some fires are just unpreventable. That’s why it is extremely important to have working smoke alarms and a home fire escape plan in place. Establish an outdoor meeting place with your family, and practice “fire drills” frequently.
This Fire Prevention Week, test your smoke and CO alarms. Continue to test them once a month, replace the batteries once a year, and replace the alarm completely every 10 years.
Visit www.firepreventionweek.org.
