In honor of National Burn Awareness Week, Feb. 1-7, the Wilton Fire Department fire marshal Rocco Grosso released an op-ed reminding residents about the importance of preventing burns.

Every day hundreds of children arrive at emergency rooms for treatment of scalds from hot liquids, steam and foods. Ninety-five percent of scalds occur in the home environment. More than 600 children age 14 and under die from fire every year and about 3,000 more are injured. Over 60-percent of residential fires that cause the death of children occur in homes without working smoke alarms.

These safety tips provided by the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children are intended to help you maintain a safe home environment for children and yourself to avoid the devastating effects from fire and burns.

In the Kitchen and Dining Areas:

  • Always supervise children in cooking and dining areas
  • Keep all hot items and anything electrical (including wires) away from the edges of tables and counters. Consider placemats rather than table cloths
  • Keep pot handles turned inward and wear oven mitts or pot holders
  • Don’t wear loose clothing when cooking
  • Be extremely cautious with deep fryers
  • Don’t hold children while handling hot items

In the Bathroom:

  • Never leave children alone in the bathtub
  • Run cool water in the tub first, then add the warmer water
  • Always test the water temperature with your hand before placing a child in the bathtub
  • Consider a latch on the outside of the bathroom door to prevent young children from going in unsupervised
  • Bath water temperature should not exceed 104 degrees F. and water heater settings should not be higher than 120 degrees F.

Around the Home:

  • Teach children that matches and lighters are tools, NOT TOYS! and for grownups only Keep these out of the reach of children!
  • Never leave lighted candles unattended and keep them away from combustibles
  • Use covers on electrical outlets
  • Store chemicals and cleaners out of the reach of children. Lock the cabinets
  • Check electrical cords and replace if damaged
  • If you use portable heaters put a safety screen around it and instruct children not to get too close. Keep heaters at least 3 feet away from furniture, curtains, bedding and other combustibles
  • Instruct children to keep away from fireplaces and other open flames (yes, even birthday candles need caution!). If you have glass doors on the fireplace consider putting a fireplace screen in front to prevent children from touching the glass

Know What To Do In The Event of a Fire:

  • Install and maintain smoke alarms on every level of the home, outside & inside the bedrooms. Test them at least once a month and replace batteries when you reset your clock for Daylight Savings.
  • Have an escape plan that includes how you might have to use a window if necessary.
  • Remember to stay low (crawl if necessary) to avoid inhaling smoke and heated air.
  • Have a designated meeting place once outside

For more information on preventing fire and burns contact the Wilton Fire Department at 203.834.6247.