HOUSTON (PRWEB)
November 18, 2019

For most Texans, Thanksgiving is a time for family gatherings and fun, but a board-certified Houston emergency room physician says it is also a time for families to exercise extra vigilance to avoid health related issues and death.

Dr. Aaron Braun, a board-certified emergency room physician and a managing partner with Houston, TX based SignatureCare Emergency Center, said that because families tend to relax during the annual get-together, it is easy to overlook simple safety precautions.

“Families come together during Thanksgiving. Most people travel long distances to be with their families during this time. As a result, there is the tendency to let your guard down and ignore certain warning signs,” Dr. Braun said this week.

He said these warning signs could be something as simple as forgetting to ensure you have a working fire extinguisher and emergency kit available, to not handling and cooking foods properly, which can lead to tragedy.

“How many times do we hear or read about house fires or food poisonings during the holidays? It is commonplace during Thanksgiving, but in most situations, these accidents could have been avoided,” he said.

Dr. Braun said most people handle and cook turkeys improperly. Like most poultry, turkeys can contain a harmful bacterium called Salmonella, if handled improperly.

He said it is easy for families to stay healthy and safe if they take a few simple steps: “Start by ensuring that you are handling your turkey properly. Thaw them in your refrigerator and not in the open. Wash cooking surfaces with warm water and soap to avoid cross contamination. Use a food thermometer and cook your turkey to at least 165°F. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold at all times,” he said.

He encouraged families to refrigerate leftovers immediately after dinner, avoid reheating them more than once, or eating them after several days to prevent food poisoning.

In case fire breaks out during the Thanksgiving celebration, Dr. Braun said it is important to keep a working fire extinguisher handy while cooking.

“Most fire extinguishers are not very expensive, but having one around can prevent tragedies. Stove fires are not the right time to figure out where your fire extinguisher is. You need to know where it is at all times and ensure that it is working correctly,” he said.

“These are simple steps anyone can take today that could prevent families from experiencing tragedies during this Thanksgiving,” Dr. Braun added.

About SignatureCare Emergency Center

Houston, TX based SignatureCare Emergency Center owns 24-hour emergency centers throughout Texas including nine locations in the Houston area (Montrose, Houston Heights, Cypress/FM 1960, Copperfield, Memorial City, Westchase, Bellaire, Mission Bend/Sugar Land and Stafford), Killeen, Austin, College Station, Paris, Midland, Odessa and Texarkana, TX.

Additional information is on our website at https://ercare24.com.

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