Fire Safety Article

Prevent Burn Injuries to Children

Burns and scalds can be deadly, especially to children under the age of five. Nationally, 600 children die and another 100,000 children are treated for burn-related injuries each year.

"Young children have thinner skin that burns more deeply and quickly. In a matter of seconds, children can sustain devastating physical and emotional injuries," Lorenz said. "Kitchens and bathrooms can be the most dangerous areas of your home, especially for children, so close supervision is critical."

The Montana State Fire Marshal's Office joins with the National Association of State Fire Marshals to offer these burn prevention tips:

• When cooking, use back burners when possible and keep handles turned to the inside so they don't stick out over the front of the stove. If left within reach, a curious child might grab the handle and tip the saucepan over onto them.
• Electrical cords for cooking appliances should be kept away from counter edges to prevent children pulling appliances off counter-tops and onto them.
• Test bath water before putting your child into the bathtub. Children can be scalded by bath water in only a few seconds. Set your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or below and always provide supervision.
• Keep matches and lighters out of children's reach.
• Burns should be treated by running cool water over the burned area within the first few minutes of injury.
• Smoke alarms should be installed on every level and in every sleeping area of your home. Test them once a month and replace batteries when necessary. Newer smoke alarm technology is available with voice recording capabilities to alarm young children of fire, providing a better chance of awakening them in the event of fire.

Families should develop a home escape plan that identifies:

• two ways out of each room,
• a meeting place outside, and
• a way to contact the fire department once you are outside.

Practice the plan regularly – at least once a year – to make sure that everyone knows what to do when the smoke alarm sounds.