Public Health

Oakland County Thanksgiving Safety Tips

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A beautiful, cooked turkey sits in the center of the table amidst of Thanksgiving dishes like stuffing and cranberry sauce.

Whether you’re a pro at hosting the Thanksgiving meal or this will be your very first time, it’s important to follow and practice food safety tips, especially when poultry and stuffing are involved.

Turkey:

Cooking a turkey requires planning and preparation; get started using these tips from the USDA.

  • Buy the turkey a few days before you plan to cook it.
  • Refrain from buying a pre-stuffed turkey.
  • Remember that thawing the turkey takes 24 hours in the refrigerator for every four to five pounds, and cold water thawing takes 30 minutes per pound.
  • Be sure the turkey is completely thawed before cooking.
  • Set the oven temperature no lower than 325 ºF.
  • Place turkey breast-side up on a flat wire rack in a shallow roasting pan 2-2 1/2 inches deep.
  • Cook stuffing in a casserole for optimum safety.
  • Check the internal temperature with a food thermometer and ensure it is at least 165 ºF.
  • Let the bird sit for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.

Homemade Roasted Thanksgiving Day Turkey with all the Sides

Stuffing:

The Partnership for Food Safety Education has a special section devoted to stuffing in their Talking Turkey guide.

  • Cook all stuffing and dressing to a minimum temperature of 165 ºF, whether it is cooked inside or outside the bird. For optimum safety, cooking your stuffing in a casserole dish is recommended.
  • Prepare and put stuffing in the turkey immediately before it’s placed into the oven.
  • Mix wet and dry ingredients for the stuffing separately and combine just before using.
  • Stuff the turkey loosely, about 3/4 cup stuffing per pound of turkey.
  • Bake any extra stuffing in a greased casserole dish.

Need more tips for preparing your feast? Call Butterball’s hotline at 800-288-8372, text them at 844-877-3456, or visit their website. Check out the Oakland County Health Division website for additional food safety tips.

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Live Healthy Oakland Offers County Residents Healthcare Savings

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A new benefit for Oakland County residents is now available! Live Healthy Oakland gives county residents the opportunity to take advantage of discounts on prescription, dental, and health services or procedure costs. The discount program is offered to both individuals and families, with health insurance or without. All Oakland County residents can take advantage of this new program. 

By signing up for one or more of the Live Healthy Oakland discount cards, residents can save an average of 24% on prescription medicine, and between 15 and 50% on the cost of dental and health check-ups. The prescription discount card is free, while the dental and health discount cards are available for a small annual or monthly fee.

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Oakland County Launches School Safety Webpage

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The Oakland County Board of Commissioners honored National Safety Month with their annual Gun Safety Awareness press conference to discuss gun violence prevention methods and to launch a brand new webpage dedicated to school safety. Commissioner Tom. J. Berman welcomed a group of law enforcement officials, safety advocates, and fellow commissioners to the press conference in his opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of responsible gun ownership in preventing gun violence.

“Thank you for joining us for National Safety Month and to discuss the measures we can all take to help reduce the risk of gun violence in homes, communities, and schools.”

Commissioner Tom. J. Berman

Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard highlighted gun trigger locks and how they are a quick and efficient way of preventing gun violence. He gave the audience a demonstration on how quick and easy it is to secure firearms with a trigger lock.

“We encourage people to take this kind of step when they’re leaving a weapon out of their custody and control to make sure that we don’t have tragedies or we don’t have weapons fall into the hands of a criminal and be used against somebody in the immediate offing.”

Michael J. Bouchard demonstrates how to safely secure a gun lock.

“Providing a safe school environment for every student in Oakland County is critical now more than ever and is something every child deserves,” said Oakland County Commissioner Janet Jackson as she expanded upon the Sheriff’s point about gun locks. She shared information about the Gun Lock Giveaway, an initiative started in partnership with the Board of Commissioners and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in 2014. Local police departments across the county have gun locks, donated by The National Shooting Sports Foundation‘s (NSSF) Project ChildSafe initiative at no cost to the taxpayer, to give out to the public free of charge.

Jackson also discussed the brand new School Safety Resource Webpage. A collaboration between the Oakland County Health Division, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, and Oakland Schools to provide information about a multitude of issues related to school safety.

Commissioner Janet Jackson

“Here, you will find important information on youth suicide prevention, active shooter preparation, and anti-bullying resources,” Jackson explained. “We have also included links to resources for programs related to mental and emotional health, dating violence prevention, social media safety, and more.” Continue reading →

Boating Safety: Be Prepared to Drop Anchor in Oakland County

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There’s a bunch of fun and excitement to be had on the water when boating. However, it’s incredibly important to be prepared and to review safety tips involving boats and lakes before heading out to the water. Don’t worry; check out our thorough guide on boating safety below, and you’ll be set to ride the waves and lay out on the lake all summer long.

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