Shriners Hospitals for Children Remains Committed to Burn Prevention Education
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) January 23, 2014 -- Feb. 2-8, 2014, is Burn Awareness Week. At this time, Shriners Hospitals for Children® will introduce its annual burn prevention campaign. This year’s effort again focuses on teaching children to “Be Burn Aware,” especially at home because the vast majority of preventable burn injuries continue to occur in residences. Homes are the sites of thousands of burn injuries to children every year, including scalds, fire-related injuries, and even electrical burns. Many of these incidents could have been easily prevented by following and implementing some basic safety tips.
The campaign will include materials for children, as well as both general awareness, and scald, electrical burn and fire prevention information for parents and other concerned adults. Information and campaign materials can be found on the health care system’s website dedicated to burn awareness and prevention, burnawareness.org.
“At Shriners Hospitals for Children, preventing burn injuries and providing burn awareness education is an ongoing effort,” said Kenneth Guidera, M.D., chief medical officer, Shriners Hospitals for Children. “In 2014, our campaign, ‘Be Burn Aware,’ will again focus on teaching children and their parents ways to avoid burn injuries at home, with added information on preventing fire and electrical –related injuries. So many of these injuries – as well as those caused by scalds or other incidents around the home – could have been prevented. We hope our annual campaign helps reduce pediatric burn injuries.”
The campaign again features two child-friendly characters who showcase and share our messages. Boots and Brewster – a caped, cuddly bear and a googly-eyed teapot, are featured in activity books for children ages 3-7 and 8-12. The entertaining duo leads the children through the various rooms of a house, pointing out dangers, and how to easily correct or avoid them. The children’s materials are designed in a memorable, age-appropriate manner.
“Shriners Hospitals for Children is committed to improving and protecting the lives and health of children,” said Richard Kagan, M.D., chief of staff, Shriners Hospitals for Children — Cincinnati and member of the physician executive team. “Our burn awareness campaign is one element of that effort. Following prevention guidelines can keep children and families safe and help them avoid potentially serious, devastating injuries.”
Shriners Hospitals for Children encourages everyone concerned with keeping children safe to visit burnawareness.org for important burn prevention tips and information on how to order the free materials, some of which are available in both English and Spanish.
About Shriners Hospitals for Children
Shriners Hospitals for Children is changing lives every day through innovative pediatric specialty care, world-class research and outstanding medical education. The 22 locations in the United States, Canada and Mexico provide advanced care for children with orthopaedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate. Shriners Hospitals for Children is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and relies on the generosity of donors. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Fabiana Lowe, Shriners Hospitals for Children, +1 813-281-7164, [email protected]
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