Burn Awareness Week

Background

Burn Awareness Week is a program designed to teach kids to be responsible for their own safety, and help make their families aware of potentially harmful situations. The program targets children in the high risk age group of six to twelve. The program is sponsored by the British Columbia Professional Firefighters' Burn Fund and resource packages, complete with teaching tips, interactive quizzes, activity sheets and the burn awareness poster contest information can be easily downloaded at www.burnfund.org.

Key Messages

Hot water burns like fire - hot liquids, not fire, are the most common causes of burns to young children, 90% of hot water burns happen at home with 65% occurring in the bathroom. Chances are, the hot water temperature in your home is set too high. A child's skin is thinner and burns quicker than an adult's - a safe temperature for your hot water heater is 49 C or (120 F).

First Aid for Scald Burns Caused by Hot Liquids or Steam:

• Immediately cool the scalded skin under running cool water, or soak in cool water
• Remove any hot, wet clothing unless it is stuck to the skin
• Continue cooling the scalded skin for 15 minutes
• Never use cream, butter, greases, sauces, Band-Aids or ice on scald burns -- use cool water only.

Go to the Doctor or Hospital if the Scalded Burn:

• Is on the face, hands, feet or groin area
• Breaks or blisters the skin
• Is more than half the size of the person's hand.