Fire Safety Advice

During winter we are all handling many hot things but it is important to ensure that we keep ourselves and our family’s safe while doing so. This includes not only safely heating food but also safely heating our homes.

Over one third of all burns admissions to the Middlemore burns centre are the result of people being scalded. Although scalding does not cause the most serious burn injuries it is very easily preventable by keeping children away from boiling pots when cooking and ensuring that your hot water is at a maximum temperature of 60 degrees.

Burns are easily avoidable and take up a lot of hospital resources. Richard Wong-She, Clinical Director of the Middlemore burns unit says “people stay in hospital one day for every 1% of the total area of their body surface that is burnt. 1% is about the size of the patient’s palm, so it doesn’t take much imagination to see that people can spend months in hospital.”

Dr Wong-She also says that “depending on the severity of the burn people can require a life-time of follow up and reconstructive surgery. In addition there is the army of therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists that are required for post-traumatic stress disorder caused when a person has serious burns.”

During the winter months we all use heaters and fireplaces to keep warm. We must ensure that our houses are heated safely so that we keep our loved ones safe from fire danger. “Heaters are a major cause of house fires during the winter months” says Senior Station Officer Gary Lane, “everyone must take steps to ensure that your house is heated correctly and safely.”

Gas heaters are a popular choice for home heating but they can also be very dangerous if children are left unattended around them. Ensure that the heater is in good condition and placed in a well ventilated room where it can not be knocked over. It is also useful to use a heater guard when children and animals are in the house.

Fireplaces are also commonly used, and can cause accidents. Always use a spark-guard when the fireplace is burning and remember that ash can take up to five days to cool so place it into a metal container before disposing of it. Chimneys should also be well maintained and cleaned once a year.

Electric heaters should not be left on over night, doing this will save you plenty of money on your electricity bill as well as prevent fire danger. Keep children, especially babies away from these heaters as they can get very hot.

Fire alarms should be in every room of the house to ensure there is plenty or warning of a fire so everyone in your family can get out. In the case of a fire keep low to the ground to avoid smoke inhalation and exit through the closest door or window, once outside do not go back in for other family members, call 111 and wait for the fire service.

Remember seconds to burn 10 minutes to cool. For more information please visit http://www.fire.org.nz

Courtesy of Counties Manukau DHB and Jenni Lyuk.

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