| Keep Tricks Out of the Treats! |
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A few simple tips will keep Halloween safe for
your ghosts and goblins.
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| Q&A - Light Sticks |
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Question: My 7-year-old broke the light stick
that goes with her Halloween costume. It splashed
in her eye. She's screaming that it hurts. What
should I do?
Answer: Rinse her eyes with running water for 15-20
minutes. This is easiest in the shower. She can have
the water at a comfortable temperature, hold her
face to the shower, and blink her eyes.
After 15-20 minutes of rinsing, let her rest with her
eyes closed. In the meantime, call the Poison Center
at 1-800-222-1222. With this treatment she should
be perfectly fine. The Poison Center will stay in
touch with you for a day or so to be sure.
The liquid in light sticks can burn a lot when it
splashed into the eyes. The combination of crying
and running water will rinse it out so that it will feel
better soon.
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| What's In This Glass? |
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Many poisonous products look just like safe
products. That's why it's so important to leave
products in their own containers. Otherwise, it's hard
to tell the difference between poisons and things
that are good to eat or drink. For example....Can
you tell what's in this glass?
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| Help the Poison Center and Get Discounts at Montgomery Mall! |
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Do you like the idea of shopping at Montgomery
Mall on a Sunday evening, at an exclusive event
only open to people in the community
who are interested in helping local charities while
getting great discounts and having fun? You may
have heard of this event -- it's called Westfield
Works Wonders.
If you purchase a $10 admission ticket, you will
enjoy special retail discounts, food sampling,
entertainment, complimentary gift wrap, children’s
activities, holiday entertainment and have the
chance to win hundreds of fabulous prizes, including
a trip to the Caribbean! The event is November
13th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling
Jessica at the Poison Center at 202-362-3867. Join
us for the event!
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| The Poison Center Celebrates 25 Years |
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On October 15, 1980, the National Capital Poison
Center took its first emergency phone call.
Twenty-five years and hundreds of thousands of
calls later, the emergency phones are still ringing.
Whether the situation is dangerous or curious, every
caller receives individual attention from the Poison
Center's team of experts.
At first, the Poison Center team worked in a small
office in the back of the Georgetown University
Hospital (GUH) emergency department. Several years
later, the Poison Center outgrew both the space and
GUH’s financial resources. The Poison Center then
moved to commercial office space and mounted a
vigorous fund-raising campaign to keep its
emergency phones open. Numerous generous
community supporters made it possible for the Poison
Center to stay open.
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| Donate Now |
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The Poison Center is NOT a government
agency. We rely on generous contributions from the
community to keep our phone lines open for anyone
needing Poison Help. Please make a donation now!
Make a donation on-line, or mail a
check to:
National Capital Poison Center
3201 New Mexico Ave, Suite 310
Washington, DC 20016
United Way or CFC designation: 8476
If you would like to be a Poison Center ambassador in
your local community, please call Jessica at
202-362-3867.
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Carbon Monoxide Poisoning |
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COLORLESS.
ODORLESS.
TASTELESS.
POISONOUS!
....Several people fainted at a church revival
service. It was not an emotional response; the boiler
malfunctioned. All were victims of carbon monoxide
poisoning.
....A young girl stayed warm in the family car while
dad cleared the snow. Unfortunately, he did not
clear
the tail pipe. Carbon monoxide was trapped in the
car.
....A man worked on his boat, outdoors and under a
tarp. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning from the
trapped fumes.
Carbon monoxide gas is a silent killer. You and your
family are at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if:
- You drive a car.
- You have gas appliances, such as a furnace, hot
water heater, clothes dryer, oven, or fireplace.
- You have a wood stove or fireplace.
- You have a kerosene space heater.
- You use a portable generator. (After Hurricane
Katrina, dozens of people were treated for severe
carbon monoxide poisoning. Most of those cases
were from portable generator fumes.)
Anything that burns releases carbon monoxide into
the air. When you breathe it in, your body doesn’t
get oxygen – and without oxygen, your heart and
brain can’t survive.
Carbon monoxide poisoning happens most often
during cold weather. We use the furnace, light the
fireplace or wood stove, warm up the car in the
garage – AND the windows are closed. If carbon
monoxide is in the air, entire families can be poisoned
quickly, often in their sleep.
Carbon monoxide poisoning may feel like a cold or the
flu. At low levels, you may have a headache, nausea,
vomiting, weakness, dizziness, drowsiness and chest
pain. As carbon monoxide levels increase, the
headache becomes severe. Coma and death can
follow. Children and pets often get sick first.
Suspect carbon monoxide poisoning if:
- several family members are all ill at once.
- several family members or visitors have
headaches at the same time.
- you feel better when you leave your home but
sick again when you return.
Prevent carbon monoxide
poisoning by a few simple steps
What to do if your carbon monoxide alarm
sounds
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