Ways to Prevent Holiday Emergencies.

The American College of Emergency Physicians has suggestions to help ensure that holiday celebrations are not interrupted by a medical emergency. "A bit of planning can go a long way toward making sure that the holidays don't involve a trip to the ER," says Christopher S. Kang, president of ACER "Be careful of potential injuries and troubling symptoms, and of course do not hesitate to go to the closest ER if an emergency does occur."

Food poisoning. "It's no surprise that food-related accidents and illness are a major source of holiday emergencies. Food poisoning can result from improper handling, cooking, or storage of meat and other items commonly found on a holiday plate. Leftovers are good for three to four days at most, when refrigerated properly. Avoid placing cooked food or fresh produce on a cutting board or other surface that touched raw meat. Do not wash raw turkey or other meats, as that can spread bacteria around the sink and surrounding area."

Kitchen fires and burns. "The kitchen is where most holiday accidents occur...