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Burn awareness week in Penticton

PENTICTON — The most common causes of burns to children are scalds from hot liquids. This is one of the many messages the Penticton Fire Department hopes people remember during the 18th annual Burn Awareness Week, which runs Feb. 2 to 8.

“Burn and scald injuries can be serious and can affect all ages. The Penticton Fire Department along with BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund are spreading the awareness message of scald hazards and prevention,” said Fire Chief Wayne Williams.

An estimated 9,000 children in Canada visit the emergency room each year for burns, with half of these having suffered scalds from hot liquids. Close to 1,000 Canadian children are hospitalized each year for severe scalds and burns, with 50 per cent of these children hospitalized for scalds alone. Approximately 87 per cent of scald and burn injuries occur at home, with 40 per cent occurring in the kitchen and 9.3 per cent in the bathroom.

Exposure to water 60 degrees Celsius (140 degrees Fahrenheit) can cause third-degree burns in just five seconds.

Safety tips to remember this Burn Awareness Week:
-  Keep all matches and lighters stored up high and out of reach of young children.
-  Set home water heater thermostats to deliver water at a temperature no higher than 48
degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).
-  Teach children to never touch anything on the stove or to open the oven.
-  Keep pot handles turned to the back of the stove and supervise children while in the
kitchen.
-  Teach and practice “stop, drop and roll.”
-  Cool a burn injury by cooling with water for 10 to 15 minutes. Never use ice, ointments or
butter. If the burn injury is severe, seek medical attention.

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