Safe Kids Week 2001 ran May 28-June 3 this year.
Every spring, Safe Kids Canada and Johnson & Johnson join forces in a major national campaign on children’s safety. This year, they focused on scalds and burn prevention.
Many people, including children, are killed each year as a result of contact with hot objects, steam, or other hot liquids.
Many Canadian homes have hot water that is 60 degrees C (140 F), which can burn your skin in just one second, and produce a third–degree burn in only six seconds!
A 30-second exposure to water at 54 C (130 F) can also cause a third-degree burn.
Scalds are the most frequent kind of burn injury to young children. For this reason, adults should be especially cautious when carrying hot pots, cups of coffee, tea, or soup in the vicinity of other people, especially small children.
Two preventive actions will reduce the number of burns from hot water or liquids—supervise children constantly when they are in the kitchen or bathroom, and reduce the temperature of the hot water tank to a safe level of 49 C (120 F).
To find the temperature of your hot tap water, use a thermometer which can show high temperatures, like a meat or candy thermometer. Turn on the hot water tap in your bathroom and let it run for two-three minutes (if you have used a lot of hot water in the past hour, wait two hours before you do this test).
Then fill a cup with the hot water, put the thermometer in it, and look at the temperature. If it is higher than 49 degrees C (120 F), you need to lower your water temperature.
For more information on how to protect your child and others from scalds and burns, go to the Safe Kids Canada Web site at www.safekidscanada.ca
Remember, if you never need what you learn about safety, you have lost nothing. But if you never learn what you need, you may lose everything–your family and your life!
Tyler Moffitt is a part-time firefighter, and writes fire and life safety columns as a public service.
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
