Thanksgiving turned dangerous: Local experts warns of fires, falls and holiday hazards

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY-TV) – The Thanksgiving holiday is a time to relax, fest and enjoy the company of friends and family.

Without proper preparation and attention, the holiday can quickly turn into a trip to the hospital. That rings true for Gayle Petrillo, when she was just a child and left a gathering with third degree burns.

“I toppled a 40 cup percolator full of hot coffee off the table and all over me,” Petrillo said.

Now Petrillo urges others to prepare for a holiday that could potentially lead to chaos.

“Accidents happen in seconds and when we prepare in advance for those scenarios we come out without an accident,” Petrillo said.

Cooking remains the leading cause of home fires in the U.S. According to a new study from State Farm, North Carolina was in the top ten states for financial losses due to cooking fires. Unattended cooking was found to be the leading factor of those fires.

Toni Scollins, injury prevention and trauma coordinator at Novant Health said they often see injuries from cooking fires.

“Just making sure that you’re doing basic fire prevention in the kitchen having things available like a fire cloth, a fire extinguisher and also know that you smother and cover a fire, you never just throw water on top of it,” Scollins said.

Scollins also advises anyone consuming alcohol to not get behind the stove or the wheel.

“If you’re planning on indulging in alcohol over the holidays its important to go ahead and have a designated driver or a plan to get home safely,” Scollins said.

As many prepare their homes for the holiday season, Scollins said those getting on a ladder to put up decoration should be weary of falling.

“I would challenge and urge those that over 55 years old to stay off of ladders because you have a higher risk of comorbidity and death,” Scollins said.

Outside of physical injury, when the family comes together, so do differing political opinions and various frustrations that add to mental stress.

“There’s a lot of social dynamics and a lot of wounds that can be opened and you not even realize it,” Scollins said. “So I would advise anybody struggling with mental health to reach out and let someone know and to seek help.”