Halloween “Ugly Teeth” Recalled
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: “Ugly Teeth” Party Favors
Units: About 43,000
Importer: Amscan Inc., of Elmsford, N.Y.
Hazard: The surface paint on the teeth contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.
Incidents/Injuries: None reported.
Description: The fake Halloween teeth are painted white, black and orange with brown gums. They were sold as party favors in packages of eight. “Ugly Teeth,” “Amscan,” “Party Favors,” “Value Pack Party Favors,” UPC 0-48419-65002-7 and UPC 0-48419-61663-4 are printed on the packaging.
Sold at: Various retailers nationwide from January 2006 through October 2007 for about $2.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled Halloween teeth away from children and return them to the place where purchased for a full refund.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Amscan Inc. at (800) 335-7585 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm’s Web site at www.amscan.com
To see this recall on CPSC’s web site, including a picture of the recalled product, please go to: cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08059.html
Do you Have a Plan for Fire Escape?
No one wants to hear the sound of sirens as fire trucks scream through the streets. But fires are a reality.
Firefighters are always stressing to families the importance of having a plan in case of a fire and the need to practice the escape.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) suggests the following when making an escape plan for your family.
- Have two ways out of every room in your house.
- Have the number to call posted in case of a fire emergency.
- Establish a place outside for members of the family to meet in case the house must be evacuated.
- Make sure bedroom windows open easily for a possible escape route.
- Practice and establish that children can unlock doors and can open doors and windows with ease.
- Test [nmslink:smoke alarms, smoke alarms] regularly and change the batteries at least once a year.
- If the house has a second floor, have an [nmslink:escape ladder, escape ladder] that can be dropped down from the upstairs window.
NFPA also stresses general fire prevention and lists a series of checks to be made in the home to lessen the chances for a fire. Go to www.nfpa.org for a home escape plan grid and home safety checklist.
With the Holidays so close, and many more risks of fire, make sure you prepare your family. Stay Safe!
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Poison Ivy Is Worse Than Ever
Forget the Calamine lotion for a big rash. This fall, poison ivy is so big, so strong, and so allergic that doctors have to prescribe steroids to treat it.
Plant physiologists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, Md., say the plant is also more ubiquitous than in previous years. Their research indicates that high levels of carbon dioxide in the air are making plants 50 percent to 75 percent higher than the plants of the 1950s.
According to Duke University, high carbon dioxide levels create a chemical change in poison ivy plants and vines that results in a more potent form of urushiol, the oil that 70 percent of people are allergic to. In its many forms, the plant can be hard to identify. Check www.poison-ivy.org for illustrations.
If you are exposed and it has been more than 10 minutes, soap and water will only remove half the oil. Goop, a Grease Remover
Even a small or casual contact will result in a rash.
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