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National Burn Awareness Week
Health & Safety Top Story 

It’s National Burn Awareness Week

Michael

The American Burn Association (ABA) is dedicated to improving the lives of everyone affected by burn injury.  Each year, the ABA recognizes the first week of February as National Burn Awareness Week; this year’s theme is “Hot Liquids Burn Like Fire!”.   

A burn is defined as damage to your body’s tissues caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, sunlight, or radiation. Scalds from hot liquids and steam, building fires, and flammable liquids and gases are the most common causes of burns.

There are three types of burns:

  • First-degree burns damage only the outer layer of skin
  • Second-degree burns damage the outer layer and the layer underneath
  • Third-degree burns damage or destroy the deepest layer of skin and tissues underneath

How to treat a burn in your home?

The United States Fire Administration and FEMA recommend the following:

  • If someone is severely burned, call 911 right away. While you wait for help, begin these treatments:
  • Treat a burn right away by putting it in cool water. Cool the burn for three to five minutes.
  • Cover the burn with a clean, dry cloth. Do not apply creams, ointments, sprays, or other home remedies.
  • Remove all clothing, diapers, jewelry, and metal from the burned area. These can hide underlying burns and retain heat, which can increase skin damage.

NYCHA’s Environmental Health and Safety Department would like to share some important tips on how to prevent scald injuries and stay safe from potential hot liquid accidents.

Prevent burns and scalds in the kitchen:

  • Place objects so that they cannot be pulled down or knocked over
  • Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge
  • Use dry oven mitts or potholders (hot cookware can heat moisture in a potholder or hot pad, resulting in a scald burn)
  • Wear short, close-fitting, or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking
  • Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove
  • Never hold a child while cooking to avoid a scald injury
  • Microwave food can be hot enough to cause a burn – handle cookware with care, and always open lids away from your body
Burn awareness tips

Prevent burns and scalds in your home and on the road:

  • When bathing a child, be sure to run your hand through the water to ensure there are no hot spots that could cause injury
  • Never hold a child while drinking hot liquids to avoid an accidental spill
  • Use a tight-fitting lid with travel mugs to prevent a burn if the cup tips over

For more information on burn awareness, please visit these resources recommended by the U.S Fire Administration: