How to prevent Burn Injuries | Louisville, Jeffersonville

February 24, 2015

Earlier this month, Burn Awareness Week took place, from February 1-7. Did you know that many burn injuries are caused by cooking liquids, grease and steam? To prevent serious burns:

• Never leave food cooking on the stove, grill or hotplate unattended
• Never use your stove or oven to heat your home
• Use back burners to prevent pots and pans from tipping
• Supervise teens and children as they cook
• Turn pot handles away from the edge of the stove to prevent tipping and to prevent children grabbing the handles
• Keep matches, gasoline and any other lighting devices or flammable liquids out of the reach of children
• Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalding
• Set your shower or bath faucet to cold and gradually make it warmer to prevent scalding

In addition to these precautions, prevent burn injuries from home fires by installing smoke alarms on every floor of your home. You should test these alarms once monthly. You should also create a fire escape plan with everyone in your home, so that you all know what to do in the event of a fire.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 300 children between the ages of 0 and 19 are treated for burn injuries every day in the ER. Tragically, 2 children die each die because of burn injuries.

The American Burn Association says older adults are at a heightened risk of burn injury. Adults who are 65 or older are two times more likely to die in a home fire. Fires and burns threaten people of all ages, children and adults, and you can work to prevent burn injuries by following the tips listed above.