American Burn Association’s Burn Awareness Week Begins
The annual Burn Awareness Week will run from Feb. 7 to Feb. 13
- By Nikki Johnson-Bolden
- Feb 09, 2021
Burn Awareness Week, which is hosted by the American Burn Association (ABA), kicked off on Feb. 7.
The annual Burn Awareness Week will last until Feb. 13. The theme for this year is “Electrical Safety from Amps to Zap (A-Z).” The ABA started this week of burn awareness to “mobilize burn, fire and life safety educators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities.” It is estimated that about 400,000 people suffer from burn injuries in the United States each year.
Several state governments and city fire departments will be observing Burn Awareness Week. The state of Tennessee referenced the dropping winter temperatures when putting out information about Burn Awareness Week. When temperatures fall below 15 degrees Fahrenheit, fires are twice as likely to occur. The state is also drawing attention to the risk of tap-water scalds and cooking-related burns.
“As more Tennesseans will be spending time indoors next week because of the extremely cold temperatures, I remind residents to focus on fire safety in order to prevent potentially dangerous home fires and painful burns,” said Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention Gary Farley.
The fire department in Newington, New Hampshire shared tips on how to remain safe from burns, which includes checking cords for cracks or frayed sockets, loose or bare wire and loose connections and inspecting heating and ventilation systems annually. Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon made a point to emphasize that most burn incidents happen at home. According to Reardon, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Ohio dealt with about 2,000 burn cases in 2019 and 2020.
About the Author
Nikki Johnson-Bolden is an Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety.