Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard Educates Community about Firework Safety
June 22, 2006
Contact: Todd Harper
Phone: 317-630-7808
Pager: 317-310-5972
Indianapolis, June 26, 2006 – Nearly 10,000 fireworks-related injuries are treated each year in U.S. hospital emergency departments, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Many of these injuries could be avoided or minimized by following some simple safety measures.
Statistics show most fireworks-related injuries are burns. Burns from improper use of sparklers and other legal and illegal fireworks, usually involve the hands, face, arms and chest.
The Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard, the only adult burn center that serves central and southern Indiana, hopes to educate the public about proper burn prevention procedures this Fourth of July holiday.
“Burn prevention is an integral part of the education services our burn center provides for the community. Almost 30 to 40 percent of the burns we see are preventable with the appropriate education,” said Dr. Rajiv Sood, medical director of the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard. “Proper use of fireworks is just one example of how the public can better protect themselves from preventable burns.”
Doctors at the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard recommend that people leave fireworks to the professionals, but if you choose to use fireworks at your home, it is important to take some special precautions.
Some helpful tips relating to fireworks include:
• Checking with local police and fire departments to determine what fireworks can legally be discharged in your area
• Never building or experimenting with homemade fireworks
• Making sure only adults handle fireworks
• Giving children glow in the dark wands and noise makers instead of sparklers
• Reading and following all instructions
• Never re-lighting a "dud" firework (wait 15 to 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water)
In the unfortunate event that an incident occurs it is important to respond to the situation immediately. Dr. Sood said if clothing catches on fire, the best tip to put out the fire is to “stop, drop
and roll.” Once the fire is extinguished, the clothes from the area of the burn should be removed and the area of the burn should be cooled for five to 10 minutes. He said the burned area should then be wrapped in a clean, dry dressing or warm blanket. As with any medical emergency, doctors
recommend calling 911 immediately.
One of only 50 burn centers in the United States verified by the American College of Surgeons and the American Burn Association, the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard treats more than 350 inpatients and 1,500 outpatients each year. Since 1993, the burn center has seen an increase of approximately 15 percent per year in the number of patients treated.
Regarded as one of the finest and most progressive burn centers in the United States, the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard is located above the Emergency Department and IU/Wishard Level I Trauma Center at Wishard Memorial Hospital. The burn center includes 11 intensive care patient rooms with state-of-the-art monitoring and environmental controls, two rooms for overnight guests, a hydrotherapy area, a physical therapy gym, a large waiting area for family and loved ones, a children's play area and a free-standing operating room.
For more information about firework safety, please call the Richard M. Fairbanks Burn Center at Wishard’s burn prevention hotline at 1-866-339-BURN.