Burns and Scalds can be avoided with a bit of awareness

17th Annual Burn Awareness Week – February 3rd to 9th
Scalds, not fire, are the most common cause of burns to children, whereas the majority of parents don’t know about this burn hazard.
The Northern Rockies Fire Rescue Department, IAFF Local 2782, and the BC Professional Firefighters’ Burn Fund are supporting Burn Awareness Week from February 3rd-9th. “So many burns and scalds can be prevented, and a bit of awareness of your surroundings will go a long way to protecting yourself and loved ones,” says Fire Chief Gord McCleary.
“Little things like checking the temperature of the bath water or turning pot handles take only seconds, but can save people painful scalds from boiling water.”
Fire and burn injuries are the second leading cause of accidental death in children aged one to four years, and the third leading cause of injury and death for those aged one to 18.
According to Safe Kids Canada, an estimated 9,000 children visit hospital emergency rooms each year for burns, and almost half have suffered scalds from hot liquids. Data collected over a five-year period in BC showed 453 children (birth to five years) were hospitalized because of burns from hot liquids.
During the same time frame, BC Children’s Hospital treated 343 young children for scald burns — 87 per cent of these injuries occurred at home It is recommended that burn victims should be treated immediately by cooling the burn with cool water for three to five minutes and cover with a clean dry cloth, before seeking medical assistance if necessary.
Burn Awareness Week Program
To encourage student participation, the Burn Fund runs the annual Burn Awareness Week Poster Contest.
Every entrant receives a participation prize and fifty students will win money for their elementary school or BC Ministry of Education sanctioned distance education facility. There are seven regional prizes, including a $1,000 grand prize and six $500 regional prizes. Regions are the Lower Mainland (three winners), Vancouver Island, Kootenays, Northern BC and the Okanagan (one winner for each area). Forty-three students win runner-up prizes of $50 each for their school or distance education facility.
Public and private elementary schools in British Columbia, parents, students – anyone – can access the program online at www.burnfund.org, which includes burn awareness safety tip information, student activity sheets, quizzes, colouring pages, and animated videos.
The program is available in PDF format for easy download and printing. Educational, fun and interactive, the program includes age-appropriate safety lessons intended for Pre-School (two to four year olds); K/Grade 1; Grade 2/3; Grade 4/5; and Grade 6/7.
Complete prize details, rules and regulations are available online.
http://burnfund.org/our_programs/documents/BAW%20Poster%20Contest%20Rules%20-%202012%202013.pdf

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