Burn Prevention / Burn Awareness

Burn Safety

• General Burn Safety   - an easy to read pamphlet from the Department of Fire Services for use in local burn awareness education campaigns. Adapted with permission from the Burn Center at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
• Hot Liquids Burn Like Fire  - a flyer on preventing the leading burn problem - scald burns to children under 5.
• 2012 - 2013 YouTube Burn Awareness Video Contest - for high school students
• Massachusetts Burn Injury Reporting System  – M-BIRS Data
• National Burn Awareness Week – Information on burn prevention and educational materials for download or order
• American Burn Association
• National Fire Protection Association  - information on scald burns

If a burn occurs remember these important steps:

1. Remove the victim from the area of danger and call 9-1-1.
2. Cool the burn area with cold water; never use grease, butter, ointments, lotions or fats.
3. Gently remove any jewelry or watches from the injured area, before it begins to swell.
4. Don’t remove any clothing that is sticking to the burn. This could cause further damage and/or infection.
5. Cover the burn with a clean sheet or towel, to protect from infection.

State Fire Marshal Coan Announces Burn Awareness Week  | February 5-11, 2012

"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 6 -12, 2011. "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) 

Scalds Prevention Tips

1. Don’t hold babies or toddlers while drinking hot coffee or tea. Put your hot beverage down, because a wiggling baby can move your arm and spill the drink all over himself/herself.
2. Place hot drinks and soups towards the center of the table, so that babies will not be able to reach and grab them.
3. Consider replacing tablecloths with placemats, so that babies cannot pull everything on the table onto himself/herself.
4. Set a NO GO ZONE around the stove and barbecue and turn pot handles inward over the stove.
5. When you have a young child in the bathtub, supervision is always necessary. Place children facing away from faucets, so that they cannot turn on the hot water.
   

Gasoline Use Safety Tips

1. If you must store gasoline, store it outside the home in approved safety cans away from open flames (i.e. water heaters and pilot lights) and out of reach of children.
2. Never regularly carry gasoline in your trunk. A one-gallon approved container could be carried empty and be used only for emergencies.
3. Only fill small engines when they are completely cool; gasoline vapors can ignite when an engine is turned off but still warm.
4. Never allow children to handle gasoline, even if under adult supervision.