National Burn Awareness Day 

National Burn Awareness Day was on Wednesday 16 October 2024. It’s a day to remind families about how to prevent burns and scalds at home and what to do if someone gets hurt.

Burns can happen quickly, but knowing how to give the right First Aid can make a big difference.

Cool, call and cover!

· 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)

· Call for help, call 999 in an emergency, or 111 or local GP for non-emergency advice

· Cover with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth. Make sure the patient is kept warm

Safety advice:

Remember to keep things that can cause fire such as candles, matches and lighters, or are hot such as kettles, irons and hair straighteners, out of children’s reach.

· Make sure children don’t play near fires or heaters to avoid them getting burnt

· Use the back hobs on the stove and make sure saucepan handles don’t stick out to avoid them being knocked off

· Never leave children unattended in the kitchen

· Fit a childproof guard in front of open fires or heaters, the best ones can be fixed to the wall

· Clothing will always burn if in contact with naked flames, but some much faster than others

If your or your children’s clothes catch fire, stop, drop and roll. Don’t run around, you’ll make the flames worse. Lie down and roll around to make it harder for the fire to spread and smother the flames with a heavy material, like a coat or blanket.

Run cold water first in the bath or sink before adding hot water and test the temperature. Don’t put a baby or child into a bath or sink until the water has been tested.

This article was created by the Humberside Fire and Rescue Service.