West Sussex Fire Service gives advice on National Burn Awareness Day
We're being urged to remember the three Cs, cool the burn, call for help and cover the wound
Today marks National Burn Awareness Day and West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service has issued some advice on what to do if you suffer a burn, and changes to make at home to prevent them.
Watch Manager Simon Woodland is in the service's Prevention Team.
He said: "Over 5,000 children under the age of five are admitted to hospital each year with burns or scolds.
"95% of all childhood burns and scolds happen in the home and hot drinks and hair straighteners are the leading cause of burns in children.
"To treat a burn or scold effectively the important things to remember are cool, call and cover.
"First you must cool the burn with running cold tap water for at least 20 minutes. It's important to remember to remove all clothing and jewellery unless clothing is melted or firmly stuck to the wound.
"Secondly you need to call for help, either by phoning 999, 111 or your local GP for advice. Lastly, cover. Cover the burn with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth and make sure the patient is kept warm. If you are using cling film in covering the wound, it's very effective in preventing infection but it's important to remember not to wrap the cling film around because of the swelling.
"To prevent burns and scolds happening in the first place, it's important to never drink hot drinks whilst nursing a baby or a child, never put a baby into a bath or sink until the water has been tested...never leave children unattended in a kitchen or near fires and heaters.
"Also keep saucepans at the back of the stove and turn handles towards the back so that they can't be grabbed. Keep electric kettles, irons, hair straighteners or wires out of reach. Make sure you keep secure fire guard screens in front of open fires, heaters and radiators.
"Store matches and lighters out of reach and store chemicals, cleaners and acids out of reach of young children.
"It's important to remember the peak prevalence for accidents around burns and scolds begins around nine months old when independent mobility begins."