National Burn Awareness Week – United States
February 3, 2008 by Marijke Durning, RN
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
February 3rd to 9th is Burn Awareness Week in the United States.
Burns are a deadly and life-changing injury that are often preventable. Sadly, many people are burned every year. The pain of a severe burn is unimaginable to those who have never experienced it. Sometimes, the burns are so bad that there is no pain at first – but it still comes when the tissues begin to heal.
Burns can happen to both adults and children; and the results are as devastating.
According to statistics published by the Hospital for Sick Children, in Toronto, Canada, “every year, Canadian children have an approximate 1 in 150,000 risk of dying and 1 in 7,200 risk of being seriously injured in a fire- or burn-related incident.”
The American Burn Association reports that there are 4,000 fire and burn deaths every year in the United States. There are 40,000 hospital admissions for fire or burn injuries.
Please visit one of the sites I linked above and learn how you can help reduce the risk of fire and burn injuries.
Technorati Tags: burn injury,fire injury,severe burns,burn awareness week
As a kid I suffered dreadful burns to my left hand when I was accidentally pushed into a vat of boiling fat, which tipped over me. The injury was horrendous and my hand was a wreck but amazingly I don’t recall it hurting. It must have had a big impact on me as I ended up specializing in burns as a nurse and saw some monstrous injuries, suffering and deaths, most of which were totally preventable. So this week is very worthwhile even if it can save a few lives.
Hi Elaine,
I remember, many years ago, a friend of mine narrowly missed her daughter sustaining severe burns. My friend was talking on the phone and was boiling water for tea in an electric kettle. Her pre-school daughter was walking by the counter as my friend movied, pulling the phone cord. the cord caught and pulled the kettle of boiling water all over her daughter.
Thankfully, my friend reacted quickly and ripped the girl’s nightgown off before the water even had a chance to soak through. Isn’t it amazing how fast we can react when we have to?