Dr. Robert Shultz, plastic surgeon and Medical Director of the Straub Clinic & Hospital Burn Center, gives us tips on how to stay safe during the holidays. Did you know the top three days for home candle fires are Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Years Day? Preventative measures you can take to protect your family and your home include using battery-operated and LED candles instead of open flames, watering your live Christmas tree every day, and ensuring your smoke alarm is working. If you or your loved one gets an electrical burn: 1. Look first. Dont touch. The person may still be in contact with the electrical source. Touching the person may pass the current through you. 2. Turn off the source of electricity if possible. If not, move the source away from both you and the injured person using a dry, non-conducting object made of cardboard, plastic or wood. 3. Check for signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement). If absent, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately. 4. Prevent shock. Lay the person down with the head slightly lower than the trunk, if possible, and the legs elevated. 5. Cover the affected areas. If the person is breathing, cover any burned areas with a sterile gauze bandage, if available, or a clean cloth. Dont use a blanket or towel, because loose fibers can stick to the burns.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 20:05:00 +0000