February 7-13, 2010

Burn Awareness Week, observed the first full week in February, is designed to provide an opportunity for burn, fire and life safety educators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities. Burn Awareness Week, celebrated early in the year, is an excellent opportunity to “kick off” a year full of burn awareness education.

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Burn injuries are among the most disfiguring and potentially serious bodily injuries. According to a study published in the November 2007 issue of the Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation, there are an estimated 10,000 pediatric burn injuries annually in the United States.

Scald burns, which are caused by hot liquids, steam or foods, are the most common burn injury among young children and the leading cause of accidental death in the home for children under age 4. U.S. hospitals treat an estimated 16,000 children under 5 for scalds a year, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Many people do not fully understand the dangers of gasoline. Gasoline is highly volatile – the fumes are capable of ignition from several feet away. Reckless use and improper storage of gasoline lead to thousands of young children and teens being burned every year. The highest at-risk group for gasoline and other flammable substance burns are kids age 13 and older.

Shriners Hospitals for Children® encourages firefighters, teachers, parents, caregivers and other community members to participate in the campaign by visiting www.burnawarenessweek.org

Please view full article on the Shriners Website.