Winners of High School Burn Awareness Video Contest Announced

The winners of a statewide contest for high school media students, the YouTube image Burn Awareness Video Contest, sponsored by the state Department of Fire Services, the Mass. Association of Safety and Fire Educators (MA SAFE), and the Mass. Property Insurance Underwriting Association, will be announced on February 8, 2010 to launch Burn Awareness Week. The event will be held at Shriners Hospitals for Children Boston, a pediatric burn hospital.

The top three winning 3-minute videos will be shown at this event and posted on YouTube image by The Department of Fire Services Office of the State Fire Marshal. To see last year's winning videos go to www.YouTube.com . Search on DFSOSFM

Burn Safety

If a burn occurs remember these important steps:

  • Call 911 immediately for emergency assistance
  • Cool a burn with cool water until the ambulance arrives
  • Never use grease, butter or ointments on a burn
  • Don't remove clothing from the burn

State Fire Marshal Announces Burn Awareness Week- February 7-13, 2010

"Scalds have been the leading cause of burn injuries every year, especially to children under five," said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan as he launched Burn Awareness Week in Massachusetts. National Burn Awareness Week is February 7 -13, 2010. "Burn Awareness Week is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the simple safety measures we can take to prevent burn injuries," he said.

There are two topics for this year's Burn Awareness Week campaign: Preventing Scald and Gasoline-Related Burns. .... (MORE) pdf format of 20100129_burn_awareness_week.pdf

Facts about Scalds

  • Scalds caused 36% of all burns in 2008
  • Children under 5 are the most at risk. They make up only 6% of the state's population yet they accounted for over half, 53%.
  • Hot cooking liquids caused 30% of scalds and 11% of all burns.

Preventing Scald Burns

  • Don't hold babies and toddlers while drinking hot coffee or tea. Put them in a safe place. A wriggling baby can jiggle your arm and spill the drink all over himself.
  • Place hot drinks and soups towards the center of the table away from curious fingers. Babies like to grab things.
  • Consider replacing tablecloths with placemats to prevent your child from pulling everything on the table onto herself.
  • Turn pot handles inward over the stove.
  • Set up a NO GO ZONE around the stove and barbecue so children will not play nearby. This protects children from cooking liquids, grease and hot metal.


In the bathroom:

  • Always supervise children in the bath; never leave children alone in the tub for a single instant.
  • Place children facing away from faucets in the tub. Toddlers like to fiddle with knobs and may turn on the hot water if you turn your back.
  • Turn on cold water first then add hot water.
  • Remember to keep children away from the cooking area in a safe zone.
  • Turn pot handles inward in order to avoid knocking them over.

Use hot mitts to protect hands.

The Shriner's Hospital for Children sponsors "Burn Awareness Week each year. This year's Burn Prevention Week topic is, " Preventing Gasoline Burns."

Facts About Gasoline [1]

  • Fires caused by gasoline are major sources of burns in the United States. On average, 1,270 children under the age of 5 are treated for burn injuries due to gasoline fires each year.
  • Each year in the U.S., 1.1 million burn injuries are a result of gasoline fires. 4,500 people die from gasoline burn injuries and 10,000 people die from burn related infections.
  • In one year, there are 4,700 gas fires in the United States.
  • According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, each year on average, 1,270 children under age 5 were treated for burn injuries caused by gasoline fires.
  • Teens ages 10-14 years old are the most likely group to get in trouble with gasoline and be treated for gasoline related burn injuries.

The Shriner's Hospital for Children has free resources families, firefighters and educators available on its website ( www.burnawarenessweek.org) as does the American Burn Association ( http://www.ameriburn.org/ )

Gasoline Do's and Don'ts

  • DO use gasoline to fuel an engine. This is its only use!
  • DO allow only adults to handle gasoline in a safe and responsible manner.
  • DO only fill small engines when they completely cool; gasoline vapors can ignite when an engine is turned off but still warm.
  • DO store gasoline in an approved safety container.
  • DO store gasoline outside of the home in a well-ventilated area (such as a shed) that is not attached to your home. Make sure that there are no heat sources nearby.
  • DO keep the minimum amount of gasoline required: no more than 1 gallon.
  • DON'T use gasoline to light a barbeque grill or start a fire.
  • DON'T use gasoline as a cleaning fluid or solvent.
  • DON'T allow children to touch gasoline or a red gasoline container even under adult supervision. Store gasoline out of the reach of children.
  • DON'T handle gasoline near a heat source.
  • DON'T use gasoline indoors.
  • DON'T siphon gasoline by mouth. It is harmful and can be fatal if swallowed.
  • DON'T induce vomiting if gasoline is swallowed. Seek immediate medical attention instead.

Massachusetts Burn Injury Reporting System (M-BIRS)

According to the Massachusetts Burn Injury Reporting System (M-BIRS) 2007 M-BIRS Annual Report pdf format of mbirs_2007ar.pdf file size 1MB scald burns have been the leading cause of burn injuries for the past 20 years. Gasoline is also a significant burn problem and is involved in 8% of reported burn issues. One-third of gasoline burn victims were between the ages of 15 and 24.

  • On September 29, 2008, a 1-year old boy received scald burns to his face, chest, abdomen, left arm and shoulder. He grabbed a pan off the stove and the hot cooking oil spilled all over him.
  • On November 29, 2008, a 1-year old Southbridge boy was scalded while being bathed. He received severe scald burns to approximately 22% of his body surface area.
  • On September 3, 2008, a 14-year old boy was throwing bottles filled with gasoline into a fire. The resulting flames caused burns to 25% of his body surface area.
  • 17-Year Old Male Teenager Burned by Gasoline at a Camp Fire -On December 15, 2008, a 17-year old boy was burned when he spilled gasoline that he was adding to a camp or bon fire in his back yard. He received burns to approximately 22% of his body surface area.

 

For a full analysis, read the Gasoline-Related Burn Injuries section of the 2007 report pdf format of mbirs_2007ar.pdf file size 1MB .


[1] Shriner's Burn Awareness Week 2009 Press Release and Info Packet