According to an independent survey commissioned by Shriners Hospitals for Children, many Americans do not follow key fire and burn safety tips during the holiday season, which can be the most dangerous time of year.
That is why Shriners Hospitals for Children is once again joining forces with Blaze Pizza for the “Be Burn Aware” campaign to keep families safe from fires and burn injuries this holiday season.
From Nov. 30 through Dec. 16, customers who donate to Shriners Hospitals for Children at South Florida Blaze Pizza restaurants will receive a free dessert on their next visit.
“We’re proud to partner with Shriners Hospitals for Children, which does so much to improve the lives of young burn patients and their families,” Blaze Pizza’s Adam Cummis said.
Visit participating Blaze Pizza locations in South Florida, including the one at 250 S. State Road 7 in Royal Palm Beach, throughout December to learn more about Shriners Hospitals for Children and how you can “Be Burn Aware.”
The national survey, conducted as part of the Shriners Hospitals for Children annual Be Burn Aware campaign, polled adults across the nation on their fire safety knowledge and practices. Although overall awareness was high, the survey revealed several gaps in action.
The largest gap was associated with live Christmas trees, one of the most dangerous fire hazards in homes during this time of year.
More than half of those surveyed said that they do not water their live Christmas trees daily, even though nearly three-quarters of respondents were aware of the potentially lifesaving results of this practice.
The survey results also show:
• Seventy percent are aware that live Christmas trees should be watered daily, but only 45 percent actually do.
• Twenty-five percent leave lit candles unattended in their homes.
• Twenty-seven percent leave lit candles within the reach of children.
• Forty-seven percent do not keep a lid or cookie sheet nearby when cooking to use in case there’s a need to extinguish a fire.
• Twenty-five percent do not turn pot handles to the back of the stove and out of children’s reach so as to avoid potential scalding injuries.
“Some of these findings seem alarming, but each year our burn hospitals see the results — children who’ve been injured in cooking-related accidents or in fires associated with decorations or candles,” said Dr. Kenneth Guidera, chief medical officer at Shriners Hospitals for Children. “These injuries can mean years of ongoing treatments to a child’s growing skin and extensive rehabilitation.”
As the experts in pediatric burn treatment, Shriners Hospitals for Children’s staff provides critical, surgical and rehabilitative burn care to children, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.
Visit www.beburnaware.org for additional tips to prevent burn injuries, activity books for children and educational materials for the entire family.
