Preventing & Treating Burn & Scald Injuries
Most burn injuries happen within the home and many can be prevented. Young children and senior citizens are especially vulnerable to burn-related injuries and death due to having thinner skin and limited ability to react fast and properly to a burn injury. Below are some basic safety and first-aid tips for burn and scald injuries.
IN THE KITCHEN
* Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and use rear burners whenever possible.
* Have adequate dry potholder or oven mitts hung near your stove. If you use a wet pot holder, you could get a steam burn.
* Do not toss wet foods into deep-fryers or frying pans with hot grease.
* Use proper containers in a microwave oven and allow microwave cooked foods to cool before removing any covers.
HOT WATER
* Adjust your water heater's temperature to below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalds in the bathtubs, showers, or kitchen sink.
* Always turn cold water on first and then switch it to hot.
* NEVER leave a small child unattended in a bathtub.
OTHER BURN POTENTIAL
* Keep all irons, hair straighteners, and curling irons out of reach while they cool down.
* Keep all guards on fireplaces and heaters.
* Keep lit candles back from the edge of a counter or shelf and back from where you have to reach.
* All hot drinks should be kept out of reach of children, they can scald 20 minutes after they were made.
* If you are warming a bottle of milk for a baby, shake the bottle and put a few drops on the inside of your wrist before feeding. It should feel lukewarm and not hot.
* Do not let children drink a hot drink through a straw.
* For sunburn prevention, use an SPF 15 or above sunscreen on all exposed skin if you are going to be outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Use aloe on any sunburn to assist with the burning sensation.
FIRST AID FOR BURNS
* COOL IT! For 1st and 2nd degree burns, cool the burned area with cool running water for at least 10 minutes. 3rd degree burns need immediate attention, go to a hospital, urgent care center or call 911.
* Don't use grease! Putting butter or grease on a burn holds the heat in on a burned area and makes the injury worse.
BURN INJURY STATISTICS
Survival Rate: 96.7%
Gender: 69% Male, 31% Female
Ethnicity: 59% Caucasian, 20% African-American, 14% Hispanic, 7% Other
Admission Cause: 43% Fire/Flame, 34% Scald, 9% Contact, 4% Electrical, 3% Chemical, 7% Other
Place of Occurrence: 73% Home, 8% Occupational, 5% Street/Highway, 5% Recreational/Sport, 9% Other
Burn Injuries Receiving Medical Treatment: 486,000
IN THE KITCHEN
* Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove and use rear burners whenever possible.
* Have adequate dry potholder or oven mitts hung near your stove. If you use a wet pot holder, you could get a steam burn.
* Do not toss wet foods into deep-fryers or frying pans with hot grease.
* Use proper containers in a microwave oven and allow microwave cooked foods to cool before removing any covers.
HOT WATER
* Adjust your water heater's temperature to below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent scalds in the bathtubs, showers, or kitchen sink.
* Always turn cold water on first and then switch it to hot.
* NEVER leave a small child unattended in a bathtub.
OTHER BURN POTENTIAL
* Keep all irons, hair straighteners, and curling irons out of reach while they cool down.
* Keep all guards on fireplaces and heaters.
* Keep lit candles back from the edge of a counter or shelf and back from where you have to reach.
* All hot drinks should be kept out of reach of children, they can scald 20 minutes after they were made.
* If you are warming a bottle of milk for a baby, shake the bottle and put a few drops on the inside of your wrist before feeding. It should feel lukewarm and not hot.
* Do not let children drink a hot drink through a straw.
* For sunburn prevention, use an SPF 15 or above sunscreen on all exposed skin if you are going to be outdoors for a prolonged period of time. Use aloe on any sunburn to assist with the burning sensation.
FIRST AID FOR BURNS
* COOL IT! For 1st and 2nd degree burns, cool the burned area with cool running water for at least 10 minutes. 3rd degree burns need immediate attention, go to a hospital, urgent care center or call 911.
* Don't use grease! Putting butter or grease on a burn holds the heat in on a burned area and makes the injury worse.
BURN INJURY STATISTICS
Survival Rate: 96.7%
Gender: 69% Male, 31% Female
Ethnicity: 59% Caucasian, 20% African-American, 14% Hispanic, 7% Other
Admission Cause: 43% Fire/Flame, 34% Scald, 9% Contact, 4% Electrical, 3% Chemical, 7% Other
Place of Occurrence: 73% Home, 8% Occupational, 5% Street/Highway, 5% Recreational/Sport, 9% Other
Burn Injuries Receiving Medical Treatment: 486,000
