Provided by Prince William Fire & Rescue
Although Burn Awareness Week is coming to an end, “Be Burn Aware” by taking the necessary precautions to eliminate and/or reduce burn injuries throughout the year.
Anyone can sustain a scald burn but infants, young children, older adults and people with disabilities are at high risk for these types of injuries. Most burn injuries occur in a person’s own home, yet the vast majority of these injuries could have easily been prevented. Prevention of scalds is always preferable to treatment and can be accomplished through simple changes in behavior and the home environment.
Tip to Stay Safe:
- 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.
- 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 three-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.
Prince William County Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin McGee states, “Scalds are just one of several burning issues in which health and safety officials have joined forces as advocates for public education in the prevention of burn injuries. Help us help you by being “Burn Aware.”
For more information on burn awareness and preventing scald burns, visit flashsplash.org, the American Burn Association ameriburn.org, Safe Kids USA safekids.org/safetytips/field_risks/burns-and-scalds and Shriners Hospital for Children at shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/education/burn-awareness.
