Be Burn Aware

2/1/2016 (Permalink)

Burn Awareness Week
February 1-7, 2016

Burn Awareness Week, observed the first full week in February, is designed to provide an opportunity for burn, fire and life safety educators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities. Burn Awareness Week, celebrated early in the year, is an excellent opportunity to “kick off” a year full of burn awareness education.

The Epidemic of Liquid and Steam Burns

Children and Older Adults Most At-Risk

Each year, over 450,000 burn injuries occur in the United States that are serious enough to require medical treatment.

Between 2007 and 2013, the proportion of burn center admissions due to scald burns increased from 29.8% to 33.7%.

Join us in the fight to prevent severe burn and scald injuries!

The average annual cost of scald injuries is $44 million

Over 136,000 children were seen in emergency rooms for burn injuries in 2011

1,100 children die each year from fire and burns

Older Adults are at higher risk of suffering an injury from burns

Adults ages 65+ are twice as likely to die in home fires

Adults 85+ years are four times more likely to die from a burn injury

Tips to Stay Safe

DO’S

Set your water heater at 120 degrees F/48 degrees C or just below the medium setting.

Use a thermometer to test the water coming out of your bath water tap.

Run your hand through bath water to test for hot spots.

Use back burners and turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so children cannot pull them down.

Use oven mitts when cooking or handling hot food and drinks.

Use oven mitts, not towels, to handle hot pots and pans

Use caution when cooking with grease – keep burner on a low to medium setting and keep a pan lid in reach

Stir and test food cooked in the microwave before serving. Open heated containers away from you from back to front.

Keep children away from the stove when cooking by using a safety gate for younger children and marking with tape a 3-foot “no-kid zone” for older children.

Keep hot drinks away from the edge of tables and counters and avoid using tablecloths and placemats.

Use a “travel mug” with a tight-fitting lid for all hot drinks.

Never hold or carry a child while you have a hot drink in your hand.

Make sure smoke alarms are in place on each level of your home and replace batteries every 6 months Have an escape plan if fire breaks out in the home – “two ways out” should always be available

DON’T’S

Wear clothing with loose or large sleeves while cooking

Leave food cooking on the stove unattended

Pour water on a grease fire – use a lid to smother the flames

Cook when you are sleepy or have taken medications that make you drowsy

Ever heat your home using the warmth from a kitchen oven or stove

Leave a child unattended in the bathtub; if you must leave, take the child(ren) with you

Allow young children to adjust the water   temperature or sit near faucet handles

Set anything hot on tabletops within reach of young children who can pull them down

Allow appliance cords (slow-cookers, deep- fryers, coffeemakers) to dangle over the counter edge

Contents Credit: www.ameriburn.org