Burn Awareness Week provides an opportunity for fire and life safety educators to share a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities.

Burns are a significant cause of death in our province and each year hundreds of victims suffer from these terrible injuries. Combined burn prevention efforts of the fire service and medical profession can increase public awareness and work toward reducing burn injuries and deaths.

British Columbia Burn Facts

Did you know that:

·            On average 21 fires occur each day in British Columbia.

·            Every second day someone is injured by fire in British Columbia.

·            Fire causes approximately $1.1million damage each day in British Columbia.

·            Fire kills in British Columbia every 10 days.

·            The majority of fire injuries occur in private dwellings.

·            The major causes of structural fires are matches and lighters, cigarettes, and cooking.

·            Having working smoke alarms in your home cuts your risk of dying in a fire.

·            27% of fire injuries reported were caused by fire and flames.

·            11% of fire injuries reported were caused by burns resulting from hot substances.

·            In Canada, of all children treated for burn injuries in Canadian hospitals, 75% have received injuries from scalds by hot liquids such as tea, coffee, soup and hot tap water.

Matches and lighters are TOOLS not TOYS! That’s the message the Anarchist Mountain Fire Department (AMFD) wants you to remember today and always. Many fatal burns to children are the result of their playing with fire. Remember to keep matches and lighters out of sight and out of reach of children.

“Hot water burns like fire!” During British Columbia’s Burn Awareness Week, February 1st through 7th the AMFD would like to remind you that the best way to prevent burns from water is to turn down the temperature of the water coming from your hot water heater to 49º C (120º F).

Scalds are a major cause of burn injuries in British Columbia. That’s just one of the messages the AMFD wants you to remember during British Columbia’s Burn Awareness Week. Children most at risk of burns due to scalds are those under 5 years old. Remember to supervise children when you are drinking hot liquids and turn pot handles towards the back of the stove when cooking.