St. John’s burn center offers fire safety tips
Oct.. 26, 2007

The risk of fire is present throughout the year; however, fire experts say the danger is at its highest during the winter months.  About 250 people a year are hospitalized at St. John’s Burn Center due to fire and burn-related injuries.  Burns are the number two cause of pediatric trauma admission to St. John’s Hospital, behind only motor vehicle crashes.

“Knowing the high-risks situations for fires and burns and taking steps to make your home safer, you can help protect yourself and your family,” says Debbie Mikkelson, nursing director.

Tips for preventing winter fires:

• Do not leave supplemental heating equipment on while adults and children are asleep.
• Do not expose electrical outlets and cords or overload outlets
• Change smoke alarm batteries twice a year
• Keep portable fire extinguishers available with instruction on how to use them
• Use flashlights for emergency lighting instead of candles
• Use carbon monoxide alarms

Children under the age of four are most likely to be burned by a hot liquid.  Children this age will reach up to grab a hot cup of coffee or pull on the pot handles that have been improperly placed outward. 

Tips for preventing burns by hot liquids:

• Keep hot liquids out of reach
• Place hot drinks and soups toward the center of the table or toward the back of the counter. 
• Turn pot and pan handles inward while cooking
• Create a safe zone in the kitchen.  Draw a line or create a safe perimeter in the kitchen that children should not cross or enter while parents are cooking.

Children over four are more likely to be burned by flame.  That is because these children will mock and mimic their parent’s behavior.  Therefore, they are more likely to play with fire out of curiosity. 

Tips for preventing burns by flame:

• Parents should keep matches and lighters out of reach.
• Children should never be allowed to use matches or a lighter, even with adult supervision
• Teach children that fire is a tool
• Teach children to notify an adult when they see matches or lighters that need to be placed out of reach. 
• Praise children when they report seeing matches or lighters that need to be placed out or reach. 
• All flammable liquids should be kept out of reach of children.  This includes gasoline and lighter fluid.

St. John’s Burn Center is dedicated to promoting the safety and health of our community and caring for those who are injured.  Located at St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, St. John’s Regional Burn Center treats about 1,000 outpatients and 250 inpatients a year and is the only burn center in southwest Missouri.  The center has a dedicated 6-surgeon, 25-nurse staff providing excellent, high quality care for pediatric and adult patients with thermal and electrical burns, traumatic wounds, complicated skin diseases and specialty burn and wound dressings only available at the burn center. 

For media information, contact St. John’s Media Relations at 417-820-2171 or angela.wever@mercy.net.