American Medical Response wants you to 'play it safe' this holiday season

Submitted by American Medical Response

Each year, more than 3 billion toys and games are sold in the United States, and more than half of those are sold during the holiday season. Although the majority of toys are safe, they can be dangerous if misused or if they fall into the hands of children who are too young to play with them. According to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), there were 198,000 toy-related injuries in the U.S. in 2020, with nine of those resulting in deaths.

“Toys and games are fun for children and adults,” said Tim Frost, regional director of AMR Western New York. “Whether your children are working on a puzzle, playing with building blocks or even inventing their own games, there are several important safety factors to consider.”

Frost advises: 

√ Consider your child’s age when purchasing a toy or game – read the instructions and warning labels to make sure it is appropriate for your child.

√ Check to make sure there aren’t any small parts or other potential choking hazards.

√ Look for points, edges or breakable parts that could be sharp, and avoid those toys for kids under 8.

√ Include safety equipment if you are purchasing toys such as bicycles, skateboards or roller skates.

√ Use a bin or container to store toys to avoid tripping hazards.

Each year, the PIRG issues a “Trouble in Toyland” report that provides safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for small children, and gives examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards. The report is a great tool for parents and can be found at uspirg.org.

American Medical Response Inc., America’s leading provider of medical transportation, provides services in 40 states and the District of Columbia. More than 28,000 AMR paramedics, EMTs, RNs and other professionals work together to transport more than 4.8 million patients nationwide each year in critical, emergency and non-emergency situations. AMR also provides fire services through Rural Metro Fire Department, www.ruralmetrofire.com. For more information about AMR, visit www.amr.net or follow American Medical Response on Facebook @AMR_Social on Twitter and Instagram.

AMR is part of the Global Medical Response family of companies. Global Medical Response Inc. is the industry-leading air, ground, specialty and residential fire services, and managed medical transportation organization. With more than 38,000 employees, GMR delivers compassionate, quality medical care, primarily in the areas of emergency and patient relocation services in the United States and around the world. For more information, visit www.globalmedicalresponse.com.