National Burn Awareness Day 2021!

Today, Wednesday 13^th October is National Burn Awareness Day. The day aims to raise awareness of the shocking number of people burned each day – the vast majority of which are preventable. It also helps to promote good first aid if a burn or scald does occur. The Children’s Burn Trust have put together downloadable resources and information to support National Burn Awareness Day 2021, see here.

A burn injury is for life. The scars are both physical and psychological and can present life-long challenges for the individual and their family. Being burned or scalded can mean years of painful treatment and, in the worst cases, hundreds of operations to release the scar tissue.

Children and the elderly are the most vulnerable and many injuries occur because of an accident that could so easily have been prevented. In 2020, 5,785 children under the age of 5 were so badly burnt they were admitted to a NHS specialist burns service – that equates to 16 toddlers every day.

Prevention and good first aid is key to reducing the number of burns and scalds and makes a huge difference in recovery times.

Two important pieces of First aid advice from The British Burn Association which are well worth remembering are:

COOL, CALL, COVER

1. Cool the burn with running cold tap water for 20 minutes and remove all clothing and jewellery (unless it is melted or firmly stuck to the wound)
2. Call for help for any burn larger than a 50p coin – 999, 111 or local GP for advice
3. Cover with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth.

Make sure the patient is kept warm

STOP, DROP, ROLL

“Stop, drop and roll” is used when clothing catches fire.

#BeBurnsAware

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