What Can You Do? | Poison Help

What Can You Do? | Poison Help

What Can You Do?

In an emergency:

If you or someone you know may have been poisoned, call the toll-free Poison Help line right away at 1-800-222-1222, which connects you to your local poison center. If the person is not breathing, call 911. Do not wait for signs of a poisoning before calling the Poison Help line. When you call, you will speak with a poison expert at your poison center. Use this emergency checklist to guide you on what information to tell the poison expert on the phone.

Also remember:

• Do not panic. Not all medicines, chemicals, or household products are poisonous. Not all contact with poison results in poisoning.
• Follow the advice you receive from your poison center.

Some additional first steps include:

• If the person inhaled poison, get to fresh air right away.
• If the person has poison on the skin, take off any clothing the poison touched. Rinse skin with running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
• If the person has poison in the eyes, rinse eyes with running water for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Your poison center can give you other first-aid advice and may save you from a visit to the emergency room.

Before an emergency happens, be prepared:

• Follow these tips for keeping the toll-free Poison Help line (1-800-222-1222), which connects you to your local poison center, in a place where you can find it in an emergency.

 Help prevent poisonings:

• Learn how to poison proof your home and reduce the risk of poisonings.
• Talk about poisons so others know what to do, too.
• Follow these simple tips on how to prevent poisonings throughout the year and throughout a lifetime.
• Prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding your home of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs.