For more information on toy and gift safety,
please visit: SafeKids.org
Look for sturdy and strong. Well-made
toys are the best and safest toys for kids.
Parts should be securely attached and
ready for hard play.
Also watch for sharp and protruding
edges. With wooden toys make sure
there is no possibility of splintering.
Beware of Magnets. Building sets, trains,
action figures, dolls and construction toys
often contain magnets. If swallowed,
magnets can tear tissue and cause damage to the intestines. Homes with children under four and with pets should be
especially cautious.
Think BIG and BIGGER. Babies and
toddlers experience their world by
putting things into their mouths. If any
toy parts can fit into a toilet paper
tube, those parts are too small and not
safe for babies and young children.
LMAS DHD, December 2014, Volume XII, Issue XII
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Give the Gift of Preparedness
Are there people on your holiday gift-giving list that are “impossible” to buy for? Maybe you prefer to
be practical with your gift-giving. Gifts related to emergency preparedness may be the answer you’ve
been looking for. The following items are important for anyone to have in case of an emergency:
Emergency Weather Radio
NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) All Hazards is a public warning system that broadcasts forecasts, warnings, and emergency information 24 hours a day directly to
the public.
Radio receivers can quietly monitor these broadcasts and will sound an alert
when important (life threatening) messages are issued for your area.
"All Hazards" messages include:

Natural (e.g., tornado, floods, high winds, blizzards)

Accidents (e.g., chemical release, train derailments, nuclear power emergencies)

Terrorist attacks
Flashlights and Battery-Powered Lanterns
Many emergencies cause homes and businesses to lose power
for extended periods of time. While candles can be romantic,
they are also a fire-hazard. Battery-powered light sources are a
safer and practical choice. Battery lanterns make for easy hands
-free lighting and will light up a broader area than most flashlights. Don’t forget to include a fresh supply of batteries.
Well-Stocked First Aid Kits or Go-Bags
Two of the most important things to have in an emergency are Go-Bags for each person in the household with enough supplies to last at least three days, and a first aid
kit. An excellent resource for building your own kits are the lists provided at RedCross.org. If you’d rather buy ready-made kits for presents, those are available at RedCrossStore.org.
LMAS DHD, December 2014, Volume XII, Issue XII
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Adapted from the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
Holiday dinners are a time to enjoy friends, family and good food. And while leftovers can make quick and tasty meals, it’s important to remember to refrigerate them promptly and reheat properly. You can help keep your family safe from food poisoning at home by following these guidelines from the USDA.
Promptly refrigerate or freeze perishable leftovers
Did you know that illness-causing bacteria can grow in perishable foods within two hours unless you refrigerate them? (And if the temperature is 90 ˚F or higher, cut that time down to one hour.) Bacteria
spread fastest at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, so chilling food safely reduces the risk of foodborne illness.
Know when to throw food out
You can’t tell just by looking or smelling whether harmful bacteria has started growing in your leftovers or
refrigerated foods. Here are a few steps you can take to store and reheat your leftovers safely:

Place leftovers in shallow containers. Refrigerate (40 °F or below) or freeze the cooked poultry and stuffing within two
hours after cooking.

Use refrigerated leftovers within three to four days; frozen food within four months.

Reheat leftovers thoroughly

When reheating leftovers, be sure they reach 165° F. Always use a food thermometer to
check the internal temperature of the food.

Reheat sauces, soups and gravies by bringing them to a rolling boil.

Cover leftovers to reheat. This retains moisture and ensures that food will heat all the way through.

Thaw frozen leftovers safely in the refrigerator or the microwave oven. When thawing leftovers in a microwave, continue
to heat it until it reaches 165 °F as measured with a food thermometer.

In a real hurry? It is safe to reheat frozen leftovers without thawing, either in a saucepan or microwave (in the case of a
soup or stew) or in the oven or microwave (for example, casseroles and combination meals). Frozen leftovers will take
longer to reheat, but it is safe to do when time is short.
For more details visit: EPA.gov/iaq/iaqhouse.html
A living room is usually a wellused area of a home and may
harbor indoor pollutants. It is
important to ventilate properly, keep secondhand smoke
outside of the house, and vacuum and dust regularly.
A bedroom often contains materials that collect dust. It is important
to clean bedding and
other fabrics, and vacuum regularly.
A kitchen has appliances that may leak
gases, and often contain chemicals for
cleaning or removing pests. It is important
to properly maintain and ventilate appliances, and safely store chemicals.
A bathroom is often the dampest
area of a home. It is important to
ventilate a bathroom during use and
dry damp surfaces.
A basement is a source of air
leaks and moisture, and often
contains various chemicals. It
is important to ventilate, seal
cracks, and properly store all
chemicals.
LMAS DHD, December 2014, Volume XII, Issue XII
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Michigan residents should monitor plumbing vents to be sure
they do not frost over or become covered by snow or ice accumulation
on
the
roof.
Plumbing vents are connected to a sewage tank of substantial
surface area, containing relatively warm water producing large
amounts of vapor. This vapor can sometimes condense and
freeze in the pipe, causing a complete blockage. Sewer gases then
cannot exit the pipe and are forced back into the house.
There may be an ice or snow blockage problem in the vent if you notice a gurgling sound in the tub
and/or sink when flushing the toilet. Also a strong odor of sewer gas in the home indicates a problem.
Clearing a frozen sewer vent on the roof calls for extreme care,. The job usually involves a ladder, a
slippery roof, and pouring hot water down the vent, which of course is only a temporary solution to an
ongoing problem.
As with most problems, prevention is the best solution. There are several methods that can reduce the
chance of vent stack freeze-up including:

Wrapping foil-back insulation around the stack that passes through a vented attic space to reduce
frost build-up.

Wrapping thermostatically controlled heat tape around the vent if the pipe is accessible.
Homeowners in the process of building or renovating can avoid these problems by making sure the
vent passes through as little unheated space as possible and by using ample insulation. Newer homes
are frequently designed to allow vents to conduct heat better, so that freezing is less of an issue.
LMAS - District Health Department
Our mission is to provide the 35,000 residents of Luce, Mackinac, Alger and
Schoolcraft Counties with disease prevention, environmental hazard protection,
health promotion and emergency management through education and advocacy.
Contact us at (906):
Luce Co
293-5107
Mackinac Co
643-1100
Alger Co
387-2297
Schoolcraft Co
341-6951
On the web
LMASDHD.org
LMAS DHD, December 2014, Volume XII, Issue XII