Focus on Fire Safety: Fireworks Safety, , ,
05
Jul 2014

 

Every year in the United States, we celebrate the Fourth of July with community parades, picnics, barbecues, and fireworks – the things of which happy memories are made. But sadly, Independence Day also includes tragic events resulting from fireworks use.  On Independence Day in a typical year, far more U.S. Fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for more than half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.  The safest way to enjoy them is through public displays conducted by professional pyrotechnicians hired by communities.

 

Who is at Most Risk?

In 2010, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,600 people for fireworks-related injuries. 73 percent of these injuries occurred between June 18 – July 18. Of these:

  • 65 percent were to males and 35 percent were to females.
  • Children under 15 years old accounted for 40 percent of the estimated injuries.
  • Children and young adults under 20 years old had 53 percent of the estimated injuries.
  • An estimated 900 injuries were associated with firecrackers. Of these, an estimated 30 percent were associated with small firecrackers, 17 percent with illegal firecrackers, and 53 percent where the type of firecracker was not specified.
  • An estimated 1,200 injuries were associated with sparklers and 400 with bottle rockets.
  • The parts of the body most often injured were hands and fingers (30 percent), legs (22 percent), eyes (21 percent), and head, face, and ears (16 percent).
  • More than half of the injuries were burns. Burns were the most common injury to all parts of the body except the eyes, where contusions, lacerations, and foreign bodies in the eye occurred more frequently.
  • Most patients were treated at the emergency department and then released. An estimated 7 percent of patients were treated and transferred to another hospital or admitted to the hospital.
  • In 2009, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 8,800 people for fireworks related injuries.
  • 18,000 fires were caused by fireworks in 2009 resulting in $38 million in direct property loss, including 1,300 structure fires, 400 vehicle fires, and 16,300 outside and other fires.
  • “Safe and sane” fireworks are neither.  Fireworks and sparklers are designed to explode or throw off showers of hot sparks.  Temperatures may exceed 1,200 degrees F for fireworks.  The tip of a sparkler burns at a temperature of about 2,000 degrees F.  This is hot enough to melt some metals and cause third degree burns.
  • As of 2009, the following four states have banned access by the public to all fireworks:  Delaware, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York.

How and Why Do These Injuries Occur?

  • Availability: In spite of federal regulations and varying state prohibitions, many types of fireworks are still accessible to the public. Distributors often sell fireworks near state borders, where laws prohibiting sales on either side of the border may differ.
  • Fireworks type: Among the various types of fireworks, some of which are sold legally in some states, bottle rockets can fly into peoples’ faces and cause eye injuries; sparklers can ignite clothing (sparklers burn at about 2,000°F); and firecrackers can injure the hands or face if they explode at close range.
  • Being too close: Injuries may result from being too close to fireworks when they explode; for example, when someone leans over to look more closely at a firework that has been ignited, or when a misguided bottle rocket hits a nearby person.
  • Lack of physical coordination: Younger children often lack the physical coordination to handle fireworks safely.
  • Curiosity: Children are often excited and curious around fireworks, which can increase their chances of being injured (for example, when they re-examine a firecracker dud that initially fails to ignite).
  • Experimentation: Homemade fireworks (for example, ones made of the powder from several firecrackers) can lead to dangerous and unpredictable explosions.

 

What Can I Do?

The best way to protect your family is not to use any fireworks at home – period.  Attend public fireworks displays and leave the lighting to the professionals.

When is a child old enough to use the stove? Safety, , , ,
15
Oct 2013

girl-with-oven-mitt-cooking

Prevent Kitchen Fires

For young children, the message to teach about the stove or oven is clear: Keep Away and create a 3-foot kid-free zone away from the stove, oven or other hot items.  Like matches and lighters, these things are tools for adults only.

But when is a child old enough to be given any cooking responsibilities that involve this equipment?  Because every child’s development and personality is different, there is no single rule that can determine when a child can be given responsibility for cooking, but here are some things to consider:

How old and mature is the child?

Before the age of about 11 years old, children can’t really anticipate events they haven’t experienced.  If something unexpected happens, they are unprepared. This has nothing to do with the child’s intelligence; it is simply normal brain development.

Parents are often fooled by children of this age.  Elementary school children are very good at following directions. If they are shown how to do something, most often they can perform even a complex chore correctly time and again-as long as the pattern remains the same.

What they are not good at is anticipating what might go wrong and how to respond if something does.  So even if they can cook, and do so regularly, they need close supervision. If the grease catches on fire or a napkin falls across a burner, it is only by chance that they will respond quickly and appropriately.

Think about hiring a babysitter for your own children. Most people want a sitter who is older than elementary school age. They understand, intuitively, that one of the key responsibilities of a babysitter is to keep their children safe in an emergency.  They are able to respond and react correctly if something unexpected happens.  National Babysitting Training Courses are designed for 11-to-15-year-olds, setting a national standard concerning the age of responsibility.

How well does the child comply with other types of rules?

Some children are more impulsive than others, some are more compliant, and some are bigger risk-takers.  A 14-year-old who is a risk-taker may not be ready to be given this responsibility while a more compliant 12-year-old is.

Has the child been taught clear rules about cooking, such as:

  • Always stay close to the stove and watch it carefully when you’re cooking food.
  • Keep a pan’s lid and a dry oven mitt nearby, and know what to do if food or grease catches fire.
  • Keep anything that can catch fire, including towels and wooden utensils, a safe distance from the stovetop.
  • Turn pot handles away from the stove’s edge.
  • Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking.
  • Always use oven mitts when putting things in or taking things out of the oven.
  • In case of an oven fire, turn off the heat, keep the door closed and go outside to call 911.

Do you use safe techniques yourself when you cook?

What you do can be more important than what you tell a child.  Leaving food cooking on the stove unattended not only creates an immediate hazard but tells children that fire needn’t be treated seriously.  Children often imitate the actions of adults.  Remember to Stand By Your Pan when cooking, frying or broiling and Put a Lid On It and turn off the heat if there is a fire in a pan on the stove.

When you have questions about fire safety, please contact your local fire department on their non-emergency business telephone number.

“Stand By Your Pan” to prevent kitchen fires Safety, , , , , , ,
08
Oct 2013

StandByYourPanRightWrong

Put A Lid On Cooking Fires – Fire Prevention Week October 6 – 12, 2013

October is Fire Prevention Month and “Prevent Kitchen Fires” is this year’s message.  Cooking brings family and friends together, provides an outlet for creativity and can be relaxing.  But did you know that cooking fires are the number one cause of home fires and home injuries?

According to the National Fire Protection Association, unattended cooking was a factor in 34% of reported home cooking fires and 2/3 of home cooking fires started with ignition of food or other cooking materials on the stovetop.

Microwave ovens are one of the leading home products associated with scald burn injuries not related to fires.  Nearly half of the microwave oven injuries seen at emergency rooms in 2011 across the country were scald burns.

By following a few safety tips, you can prevent these fires:

“Cook With Caution”

Be on alert! If you are sleepy or have consumed alcohol, don’t use the stove or stovetop.

  • Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, grilling, or broiling food.       If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you are cooking.
  • Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
  • Have a “kid-free zone” of at least 3 feet around the stove and areas where hot food or drink is prepared or carried.

If You Have A Cooking Fire…

StandByYourPanstovefire

Just get out! When you leave, close the door behind you to help contain the fire.

  • Call 9-1-1 to alert the local fire department
  • If you try to fight the fire, be sure others are getting out and you have a clear way out.
  • Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires.       Smother the fire by sliding the lid over the pan and turn off the stovetop. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
  • For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.

If you have any questions about fire safety, please feel free to contact your local fire department.

 

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