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1st
appeared 5 November 1998
Poison Prevention Calendar Gets New Year Off to
a Safe Start
Poison prevention is everybody's business. A 1999 calendar from the California Poison
Control System (CPCS) gets the new year off to a safe start with information that could
save a child's life.
The calendar offers seasonal tips for preventing potentially fatal accidents. Illustrated
by California youngsters who participated in this year's National Poison Prevention Week
poster contest, each month carries a different poison prevention message along with the
hotline number to call in case of poisoning emergencies.
 In December, the calendar advises parents to be wary of poisonous
decorative plants like mistletoe and holly berry, while the May message stresses the
importance of keeping spring-cleaning products out of a child's reach. The July page
provides tips on protecting family members from lead poisoning.
Calendars are for sale at $5.00 each (including mailing and taxes), and proceeds will be
used for CPCS educational outreach programs throughout the state. Copies are available by
mail. Checks should be made out to the California Poison Control System for the
appropriate amount and sent to Elise Stone/Calendar, California Poison Control System, San
Francisco General Hospital Medical Center, 1001 Potrero Avenue, San Francisco, Calif.,
94110.
For more information, contact Stone, the health education coordinator with the San
Francisco Division of the CPCS, at 415/502-6008. Please do not call the CPCS hotline
number to obtain a calendar.
The CPCS is a statewide network dedicated to poison prevention. Administered by the UCSF
School of Pharmacy, the system has four sites around the state where specially trained
health care professionals staff a toll-free telephone hotline 24 hours a day to answer
questions regarding poisoning emergencies. The hotline number for emergencies is
800/876-4766 (800/8-POISON).
The CPCS sites are located at Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno, UC Davis Medical
Center in Sacramento, UC San Diego Medical Center, and the UCSF-affiliated San Francisco
General Hospital Medical Center.
Links:
1997 poster contest winners
California
Poison Control System, San Diego
Source: Corinna Kaarlela, News Services |
