By Dr. Roger L. Simpson
National Burn Awareness Week, February 6-12, 2022, serves as a reminder of continuous steps that we must take to prevent common burn injuries. Burns can occur in a second while leaving a lifetime reminder of their severity. As the Director of our regional Burn Center for over 40 years, I am happy to share with you the fact that the incidence of burn injury continues to decrease dramatically year after year. Awareness is prevention!
The national theme for 2022 focuses on burn injuries in the kitchen. I would like to extend that to the prevention of burn injuries in the home. Be aware of open flames on the stove and the clothing that you are wearing when you reach across that burner. A loose sleeve can easily ignite. Cups containing hot liquids left at the table’s edge can be attractive objects to a toddler. Push them well out of reach on a regular basis. Glass enclosed fireplaces during winter months will attract children’s attention. The surfaces will remain hot for at least an hour after the fire is out. Create a barrier for inquisitive children. And lastly, install or replace smoke detectors in your home. Firefighters remind us to also change the batteries on a regular basis twice yearly.
Burn awareness is responsible for saving lives and preventing injury. Check your home this week with an appreciation that burns can cause serious injury. Prevention will continue to reduce the incidence and severity of burn injury.
