JACKSON HEALTH SYSTEM EDUCATES FAMILIES ON HALLOWEEN SAFETY

Wendy Stephan, M.P.H., CHES, Health Education Coordinator, Florida Poison Information Center – Miami, Jackson Memorial Hospital; and Cindy Magnole, R.N., B.S.N., pediatric emergency room nurse and Injury Prevention Coordinator at Jackson Memorial Hospital, and chairwoman of the Miami-Dade County Injury Prevention Coalition; Lenys Klumpp, government and community relations coordinator, Florida Poison Information Centers Network

Each Halloween, children look forward to dressing up as their favorite character or monster and hitting the streets to trick-or-treat. It is one of the most exciting holidays of the year – but it can also be the most dangerous.

It is important for parents to take some basic precautions to ensure that their children have a fun and safe night out. Representatives from the Miami-Dade County Injury Prevention Coalition and Florida Poison Information Center-Miami, based at Jackson Memorial Hospital, will share tips to make sure Halloween is full of memories, not regrets. Among those tips: choose costumes that are bright or reflective, or carry a flashlight or glow stick; always walk on the sidewalk while trick-or-treating; never trick-or-treat alone; children younger than 13 should always be accompanied by an adult; parents should inspect all candy carefully and dispose of anything that has an open wrapper.
During a Halloween-themed news conference, Jackson Memorial Hospital Injury Prevention Coordinator Cindy Magnole, R.N., B.S.N., will share statistics that show that more children are hit by cars on Halloween than at any other time of year. Wendy Stephan, M.P.H., CHES, health education coordinator at the Florida Poison Information Center, will demonstrate common household medications that look like candy and the proper way to dispose of them.

Visuals will include educators in Halloween costumes, a decorated conference room and demonstrations of what families should do to have a safe Halloween.

30, 2012

Jackson Memorial Hospital
Ira C. Clark Diagnostic Treatment Center, Room 254
The corner of Northwest 12th Avenue and 19th Street
Miami, FL 33136

To educate families on Halloween safety.

*Media can park outside of the DTC