If you think that poisonings only happen to those with kids or someone else, please think again. Accidental poisonings are a leading cause of home injury death, and those of all ages are at risk.
Quick!!...you just discovered your young nephew has ingested paint, or that your elder parent took a handful of the wrong medication. What do you do?
When someone in Los Angeles is unconscious, not alert or has difficulty breathing, we trust your first call will be to 9-1-1 for the immediate light-and-siren response of trained rescuers.
But what about the majority of situations where you merely have suspicion or there is no evidence of distress? When no life-threatening symptoms are present, who do you call?
If the patient is stable and you need prompt guidance regarding poisoning or accidental overdose, a single phone call to 1-800-222-1222 will put you in immediate touch with an expert at a Poison Control Center near you.
If you have an old number for a Poison Control Center on your phone, it may still work. But when you get a chance, please post and learn the new number: 1-800-222-1222. It's free, private - and can save you a trip to the emergency room!
1-800-222-1222 is the single toll-free phone number that works around-the-clock anywhere in the United States and its territories for poison emergencies - and also welcomes your questions about poisons and poisoning prevention.
All questions about poisons are smart questions!
Call 1-800-222-1222
We strongly suggest that you place 1-800-222-1222 prominently on or near your home telephone, and write it next to other emergency numbers inside the front cover of your telephone directories.
Because accidental overdoses and poisonings can occur anywhere, we also suggest you add 1-800-222-1222 to your wireless phone, and provide it to relatives, babysitters, caretakers and those at your place of work, school and worship.
During National Poison Prevention Week, March 15-21, 2009, the Los Angeles Fire Department is pleased to share these ten important tips:
- Know what things in and around your home could poison you.
- Put child safety locks on cabinets to safely store cleaners, medicines, cosmetics, chemicals and other poisons.
- Keep all of these products in their original packaging with the labels on them.
- Look at product labels for the words "Caution", "Warning", "Danger" or "Poison" on the box or bottle. Follow directions carefully when using these products.
- Be aware that fuels (such as gasoline), car fluids (such as anti-freeze), pesticides (such as bug killers), and lawn and garden products (such as fertilizer) are poison.
- Do not mix household products together because their contents could react with dangerous results.
- Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector near the bedrooms and the furnace (at least 15 feet away) to warn you of high levels of CO, a deadly gas you cannot see or smell. The gas collects when fuels are burned. Too much collected gas can harm you.
- Have a qualified service person check heaters, stoves and fireplaces every year to see that they work safely.
- Keep the Poison Control Hotline number by every phone or on the refrigerator: 1-800-222-1222.
- Know to call 1-800-222-1222 if someone takes poison. This number will connect you to emergency help in your area. You can also call the hotline if you have a question about poisons. It's free, private, and can save you a trip to the emergency room.
Submitted by Brian Humphrey, Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
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