Celebrate Without the ER Visit: Emergency Doctors Lay Out What Usually Goes Wrong at Holiday Gatherings

Emergency rooms brace for holiday mishaps — and ACEP wants you to avoid them

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) is sounding a seasonal reminder: the holidays are a happy time, but they are also one of the busiest stretches of the year for emergency departments. ACEP’s seasonal advisory points to a rise in preventable injuries tied to crowded homes, extra cooking, travel and cold weather gatherings. The goal, the group says, is simple — cut down on avoidable trips to the ER so families spend more time celebrating and less time recovering.

Emergency doctors see the pattern every year: small mistakes, when combined with chilly weather and holiday routines, can lead to serious problems. ACEP’s message is practical and plain: plan ahead, watch for well-known hazards, and use a few easy steps to lower the odds that a party ends at an emergency room door.

What doctors see most often during the holidays

Emergency departments typically treat a mix of injuries that spike around holiday time. ACEP highlights the most common troublemakers: falls, burns, carbon monoxide (CO) incidents, alcohol-related injuries, travel crashes and cold-exposure problems like hypothermia.

Falls are frequent — think ladders taken out for decorating, slippery steps, or guests navigating crowded houses while carrying plates or drinks. Burns come from busy kitchens and from candles or string lights that touch flammable materials. Carbon monoxide incidents happen when heaters, generators or grills are used indoors or in poorly ventilated areas. Alcohol plays a role in many accidents, from falls to fights to impaired driving. And when people travel in bad weather or get stranded outside, hypothermia and frostbite become real risks.

ACEP reports that these are mostly preventable problems. In many cases, a moment of inattention or a simple safety step could have avoided an emergency visit. That is why the group emphasizes practical measures rather than complex rules.

Room-by-room and on-the-road: Practical steps that actually cut ER risk

Here are short, concrete tips organized by where they usually matter most. These are easy to use and aimed at stopping the most common holiday emergencies before they start.

• Home / living areas: Keep walkways clear of bags, boxes and loose rugs. Secure extension cords along walls and out of paths. Use step stools with a wide base rather than tall, shaky ladders when reaching high spots.
• Decorating and lighting: Check lights and cords for fraying before plugging them in. Keep lit candles away from curtains, paper, and tree branches. Consider flameless LED candles if you have pets or small children.
• Kitchen and food safety: Never leave the stove unattended when cooking. Keep oven mitts and towels away from open flames. Use a meat thermometer to ensure food reaches safe temperatures and cool leftovers promptly to prevent foodborne illness.
• Alcohol and gatherings: Pace drinks, alternate with water, and offer nonalcoholic options. Assign a sober driver or arrange rides for anyone who has been drinking. Keep an eye on guests who appear unusually drowsy, confused or unsteady.
• Carbon monoxide prevention: Install CO detectors on every level of your home and replace batteries yearly. Never run generators, grills, or camp stoves inside a garage or home, even with doors open.
• Travel and car safety: Check weather reports before heading out and give yourself extra time. Keep an emergency kit in the car with blankets, a flashlight, water and snacks. If roads are icy, consider delaying travel or taking public transit when possible.
• Outdoor cold exposure: Dress in layers, cover extremities, and limit time spent in freezing conditions. Avoid alcohol to stay warm — it can lower core temperature and increase risk of hypothermia.
• Child and pet safety: Keep small decorations, batteries and toxic plants out of reach. Supervise children near hot food, fireplaces and candles.

When a mishap means a trip to the ER — clear red flags to act on now

Not every bruise or cut needs emergency care. But some signs mean you should head to the ER without delay. ACEP lists these red flags:

• Severe bleeding that won’t stop after applying firm pressure.
• Chest pain, sudden shortness of breath, or difficulty breathing.
• Sudden confusion, weakness, slurred speech or altered consciousness.
• Severe burns, especially those that are deep, cover large areas, or involve the face, hands or groin.
• Signs of carbon monoxide exposure — headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting or loss of coordination — especially if multiple people in the same place feel ill.

If you see any of these signs, call emergency services immediately and follow basic first-aid steps: stop heavy bleeding with pressure, move the person to fresh air if CO is suspected, and keep a person who is unconscious but breathing in a safe position until help arrives.

Where to get help and a quick reminder from emergency doctors

ACEP encourages families to keep key numbers handy: call 911 for emergencies, and use your local poison control number or the national poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222 if you suspect someone swallowed something dangerous. ACEP also recommends checking smoke and CO detectors now, before guests arrive.

“A few small steps — testing alarms, watching alcohol intake and keeping cooking areas clear — can make the difference between an enjoyable holiday and an emergency night,” an ACEP spokesperson said. “Emergency departments are here when something goes wrong, but we’d rather people spend their holidays at home and healthy.”

The bottom line: the season’s pleasures don’t have to come with avoidable risk. With a little planning and simple common sense, most holiday hazards can be stopped before they start.

Sources

• prnewswire.com