Blog Post

New Years Eve 2020 – Play Safe!

On December 31st, we will celebrate the end of 2019 and welcome in a brand new year that is full of potential. Bring on 2020! Since New Year’s Eve is the last holiday of the year, folks often go to extremes while celebrating. Please realize the last holiday of the year is often the most dangerous in terms of health and safety. Each year, New Year’s Eve has seen increased emergency room visits caused by partying and celebrations which have gone awry. With the increased likelihood of injury during New Year’s Eve, it is essential to maintain caution and use common sense. The last thing anyone wants is to start off the New Year in an emergency room!

New Year's Eve Play Safe

New Years Eve Common Injuries

Revelers all over the country have many ways of ringing in the New Year. Depending
on the celebration, there are several risk factors which create the potential for emergency
medical situations.

Fireworks. Many people celebrate the end of the year with fireworks. Fireworks are
often a key staple to big celebrations. They are also extremely dangerous as fireworks can cause burns, the loss of digits and limbs, blindness, and even death. Just last year, more than 11,000 people suffered injuries from accidents involving fireworks. New Year’s Eve partiers tend to celebrate the end of the Year with cocktails. By combining fireworks with
alcohol, there is an even higher risk for a severe injury. Fireworks are not toys and should be for professional use only.
Guns. Accidental gun injuries are more common during New Year’s Eve than one would think. There are reasons why gun safety is essential, even during the holidays. Some people like to celebrate the countdown to midnight by firing a gun into the air. While it may seem harmless, blindly firing a gun into the air is as dangerous as it sounds. Many people are killed every year due to the firing of a stray bullet. A bullet fired directly into the air can travel as high as two miles into the sky. When falling back down, it can reach a velocity of up to 700 feet per second. A bullet falling at that speed is enough to kill someone.
Drinking. Drinking and New Year’s Eve celebrations often go hand in hand, but it is very easy to take the festivities too far. On average, people drink about 4.4 drinks during New Year’s Eve. If not correctly paced, that is enough to reach the point of intoxication. Drinking too much slows down brain function and can damage just about every organ in the body through inflammation and sending toxic materials through the bloodstream. Coordination also becomes poor, leading to falls which can cause serious injury. Too much alcohol in the blood can also cause nausea, alcohol poisoning, coma, and even death.
Drunk driving. Alcohol impairs judgment and slows down brain functions, so
driving while intoxicated is dangerous and often deadly. Research has proven that
more alcohol-related car accidents and fatalities occur on New Year’s Eve than any other day of the year. From 6 pm at night through 6 am in the morning on New Year’s Eve, car accidents increase by over 70%. There has been an average of 300 deaths per year between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day over the last five years. The number of alcohol-related fatalities has steadily decreased over the years, however, the numbers are still alarming enough to think twice before taking the wheel after consuming even one drink, much less a few too many. This year, make sure to use a designated driver, hire an Uber, take a cab or ride the train to and from wherever the festivities occur. Even better, celebrate at home!

First Responders are Spread Thin on New Year’s Eve

New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year for first responders. Whether
they be paramedics, law enforcement or firefighters, more people require their services during the holidays. Because these first responders have so many emergencies, remain aware that they may take longer to provide immediate medical services. Take this into consideration and use extra caution to celebrate safely this New Year’s Eve.

The holidays are a great time to wind down, relax, and usher in the New Year with optimism and positivity. Understand the dangers of taking New Year’s Eve revelry too far and make smart choices so everyone can have a safe and stress-free evening. Please don’t ring in the New Year from an Emergency Room! Have a safe and Happy New Year!