Hanukkah Safety Tips Brought to you by the Pediatric Emergency Department and the Burn Center at Saint Barnabas Medical Center
Menorah Safety
- Place the menorah on a sturdy surface made of a non-flammable material such as stone, glass, or metal.
- Do not place the menorah near or under any flammable materials like curtains or books.
- Do not walk around while holding a lit candle.
- Choose a safe location for your menorah: avoid spots where something could fall on it or it could be easily knocked over.
- Keep matches and lit objects away from small children.
- Keep your menorah safely out of reach of pets and small children.
- Never leave the house with a lit menorah.
- Most “arts and crafts” Hanukkah menorahs made by children are not suitable for lighting and may burn down when used. They should be used for decorative purposes only.
Fried Food Safety
- Ensure that your fire alarms are in working order.
- Never leave the kitchen while frying foods; keep a close eye on the pans or fryer.
- Turn frying pan handles to the back of the stove.
- Flip latkes carefully with a slotted spatula away from you to avoid oil splashing.
- Keep your stove vent turned on while you are frying foods.
- Place cooked food onto a paper-towel on a plate to soak up oil.
- If you are keeping cooked food warm in the oven, remove from the paper towel and keep the temperature low at below 200 degrees and be careful not to drip oil into the oven from the plate.
Choking Hazards
- Never leave children unattended with small dreidels or coins.
- Never leave children unattended with the foil wrapping from chocolate coins.
- Pre-install batteries in toys that will require them. Button batteries are especially dangerous if swallowed.
- Check the recommended age on toys and gifts. Small parts may be choking hazards, especially for children under the age of 3.
- Make sure that all gift wraps/ribbons/bows are thrown out as small pieces are easily choked on.
The Pediatric Emergency Department at Saint Barnabas Medical Center is staffed with emergency department professionals including board-certified physicians, specially trained nurses, technicians and health care professionals, providing treatment and care for the community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for all children with emergency care needs.