Every day, 435 children ages 0 to 19 are treated in emergency rooms for burn-related injuries and two children die as a result of being burned. Burn safety is a foreign concept to most young children. In fact, one of the most difficult lessons young children learn is that some things — such as stoves, radiators and flickering flames — can be painfully hot. If children play with matches or lighters, the threat can extend to the entire family.
Take burn safety precautions to prevent injuries and dangerous situations.
Join us February 6-12, 2022 as we share awareness around “Burning Issues in the Kitchen” for National Burn Awareness Week. Did you know 47% of all home fires are caused by cooking. Preventing a burn injury is always better than the pain and trauma of medical treatment afterward.
PLAN A: PRIMARY PREVENTION
PLAN B: SECONDARY PREVENTION
If your food does catch on fire…
Source: American Burn Association
Burn safety at home
Many ordinary things in a home — including bath water, food and electrical outlets — can cause childhood burns. To prevent burns at home:
To prevent burns from scalding water:
Check water heater temperature. Set your water heater’s thermostat to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Infants who aren’t walking yet can’t get out of water that may be too hot, and maintaining a constant thermostat setting can help control the water temperature throughout your home—preventing it from getting too high.
To protect children from outdoor hazards:
For more on Campfire Safety, visit this page.
Carbon monoxide, or “CO,” is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you.
CO is found in fumes produced any time you burn fuel in cars or trucks, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, or furnaces. CO can build up indoors and poison people and animals who breathe it. Everyone is at risk for CO poisoning. Infants, the elderly, people with chronic heart disease, anemia, or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO. Each year, more than 400 Americans die from unintentional CO poisoning not linked to fires, more than 20,000 visit the emergency room, and more than 4,000 are hospitalized.
CO Poisoning Symptoms
The most common symptoms of CO poisoning are:
CO symptoms are often described as “flu-like.” If you breathe in a lot of CO it can make you pass out or kill you. People who are sleeping or drunk can die from CO poisoning before they have symptoms.
CO poisoning prevention in your home:
CO poisoning prevention for your vehicle:
There are smoke alarms and alert devices that alert people who are deaf or hard of hearing. These devices include strobe lights that flash to alert people when the smoke alarm sounds. Pillow or bed shakers designed to work with your smoke alarm also can be purchased and installed. These work by shaking the pillow or bed when the smoke alarm sounds. These products can be found online and in stores that sell smoke and CO alarms.
Make sure to choose smoke alarms and accessories for people who are deaf or hard of hearing that are listed by a qualified testing laboratory. It’s also good practice to sleep with your mobile phone and your hearing aids or implants close to your bed.
Make sure your smoke and CO alarms meet the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
Some tips:
Source: National Fire Protection Agency
What you do to treat a burn in the first few minutes after it occurs can make a huge difference in the severity of the injury.
Immediate Treatment for Burn Victims
First-degree burns involve the top layer of skin. Sunburn is a first-degree burn.
Signs:
Treatment:
Information Courtesy: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Fire Administration, American Academy of Pediatrics, Smokey for Kids
Second-degree burns involve the first two layers of skin.
Signs:
Treatment:
Information Courtesy: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Fire Administration, American Academy of Pediatrics, Smokey for Kids
A third-degree burn penetrates the entire thickness of the skin and permanently destroys tissue.
Signs:
Treatment:
Information Courtesy: Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Fire Administration, American Academy of Pediatrics, Smokey for Kids