UTMB doctors advise burn prevention

Create a safer home during National Burn Awareness Week

GALVESTON, Texas—Burn doctors at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston urge parents to step up burn prevention this week to mark National Burn Awareness Week.

“Parents should talk with their children about fire prevention and make sure they know what to do if there is a fire in the home,” says Dr. David Herndon, UTMB professor of surgery and chief of staff at Shriners Hospital for Children–Galveston, one of the nation’s leading pediatric burn-care centers.

Burn injuries are a serious problem in the United States, where more than 3,000 people die and 16,000 are injured each year by fires that start in the home. “Fire is not the only concern,” says Dr. Art Sanford, UTMB assistant professor of surgery. “Hot water is a leading cause of burn injuries among children.”

Following are some recommendations for a more burn-safe home:

• Check your smoke detectors at least yearly to ensure the batteries are fresh. More than 90 percent of U.S. homes are equipped with smoke detectors, but these detectors are functional in only 75 percent of homes.

• Lower the setting on your hot water heater. For children age 4 and under, scalds from hot tap water account for 65 percent of burn cases requiring hospitalization. Set your water heater to 120 degrees; many water heaters are installed at 140 to 150 degrees, which can scald a child’s skin in just 3 seconds.

• Have a plan. Plan how you would escape your house during a fire, and practice the plan as a family.

• Look around your garage. Gas cans or pressurized tanks can become fire hazards in hot weather, and gas hot water heaters installed at ground level can ignite fumes from flammable fluids.

• Check fabric care labels. Children’s pajamas should be labeled as flame-retardant.

UTMB has become a pioneer in burn treatment, research and education. The university’s Truman G. Blocker Burn Center, named in honor of UTMB’s first chief executive to hold the title of president and a leader in burns research and care, is one of the foremost adult burn treatment facilities in the nation. Its faculty members conduct research and provide patient care at the John Sealy and Shriners hospitals on the UTMB campus in Galveston.

The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

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