As the temperatures dip and twinkle lights start to appear, it’s a sure sign that the holiday season has begun. The Priority Ambulance family of companies, a leading provider of emergency medical services, is encouraging all to prioritize safety to help make this year’s holiday season a safe and happy one. 

To help ensure a “healthy” holiday, Priority offers these reminders:

Practice Decorating with Care.

• Use safe ladder practices when decorating inside and outside your home.  Always have a ladder spotter.
• Check your holiday lights and throw out any with worn electrical wires. Only use lights meant for exterior use to decorate outside the home. 
• Keep potentially poisonous plants out of reach of children and pets. Among those are mistletoe, holly berries, and amaryllis. 
• Keep live Christmas trees well-watered and look for “Fire Resistant” labels when selecting an artificial tree.

Fire Safety.

• When using candles as part of your décor, make sure burning candles are never left unattended and there is an adult present when children are in rooms with open flames. 
• The National Fire Protection Association recommends keeping candles at least 12 inches away from anything that burns.
• Make sure your Christmas tree is at least three feet away from heat sources like fireplaces, radiators, and space heaters.  Read the manufacturer’s instructions for the number of light strands to connect safely.   
• If your holiday home is snuggled in a blanket of white, make sure you shovel the snow around fire hydrants. It doesn’t take long, but those few minutes are critical during an actual fire.

Watch for Choking Hazards.

• Tiny pieces from toys and décor can easily transform into an airway obstruction when ingested by a small child or pet.  Don’t forget about batteries, especially smaller AAA and disc-shaped batteries.
• Don’t forget safety gear, like helmets and goggles, when packaging gifts like bikes and scooters.
• Be mindful of keeping smaller objects out of kids’ reach.

Food Safety.

• Wash hands frequently when handling food.
• Keep raw meat away from fresh produce, and use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for uncooked and cooked meats.
• Don’t forget to refrigerate leftovers before the two-hour mark. It’s easier to reheat a snack than recover from food poisoning.

Travel Safely.

• Keep walkways clear of any snow or ice to prevent slips and falls.
• Check road and weather conditions before you depart.
• If traveling to grandma’s, get a good night’s sleep before departing to avoid drowsy driving. 
• Drinking and driving are never a good mix.
• Be prepared. Have a first-aid kit and emergency supplies readily available at home and in your car.  Familiarize yourself with CPR and basic first-aid techniques.
• No texting while driving.

The Priority Ambulance family of companies’ crews will be on duty throughout the holidays – and every day – responding promptly to emergencies.  We encourage everyone to exercise caution, stay safe, and enjoy a sweet holiday season.

Priority Ambulance is a premier national medical transportation provider, operating in 13 states. Recognized for five consecutive years on Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America, Priority Ambulance delivers exceptional patient care and customer service to approximately 600,000 patients annually. Our fleet of more than 850 state-of-the-art ambulances and support vehicles is staffed by 4,000 highly trained paramedics and EMTs across the country.  As a division of Priority OnDemand, a leading national EMS and medical transportation company, we leverage expert healthcare services and technology solutions to address challenges and enhance efficiency throughout the continuum of care. For more information, please visit www.priorityambulance.com and www.priorityondemand.com.

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CONTACTS:        

Media: 

Sharon Kraun
VP-Communications
404-326-0341
skraun@priorityondemand.com

Morgan Szymczyk
Associate Director, Corporate Marketing & Communications
540-940-9423 
mszymczyk@priorityondemand.com