[24 May 2007]

Child Safety Week.

When is it? Monday 18th June to Friday 22nd June 2007.

What is the point of it? To reduce the number of accidents involving children.

Why are Firefighters involved? Firefighters have first hand experience of the damage that fires and burns can cause and are keen to get these safety messages out into the community. Sometimes they take a fire engine along to visits which always goes down well with the children.

For more information contact our Community Fire Safety Team on tel 01323 462435.

Want some safety tips? For burns and scalds

• Run Cold Water first in the bath or sink before adding hot water
• Always test the temperature with your elbow or with a bath thermometer
• Never leave children alone in the bathroom
• Don’t have a child on your lap when you have a hot drink
• A hot drink can cause a serious scald up to 20 minutes after it has been made
• Babywalkers and badly place highchairs can give children easy access to hot drinks and liquids
• Put burns under cool water for at least 20 minutes

For tips on keeping your home safe...

• Information for parents and carers [pdf].
• Rhyme for children about matches and lighters [pdf].

What is the evidence on child accidents? A recent Audit Commission Report ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ published earlier this year found that ‘Children under 5 carry a disproportionate burden of injuries from falls and fires and they suffer nearly 45% of all severe burns and scalds with 50% occurring in the kitchen.’

The costs of treating these injuries run into millions of pounds. To treat one child for a severe bath water scald can be as much as £250 000. The emotional costs to children and their families are even greater.

For further information;

1. Child Safety Week runs from Monday 18th June to Friday 22nd June 2007 and is promoted by the charity CAPT (the Child Accident Prevention Trust www.capt.org.uk).
2. East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service works in partnership with the charity Children’s Fire and Burn Trust and delivers burn and scald prevention initiatives across the County and Brighton and Hove ( www.childrensfireandburntrust.org.uk).
3. For further information on the Audit Commission’s ‘Better Safe Than Sorry’ report, February 2007 which makes a number of recommendations for the prevention of ‘unintentional’ injuries to children (www.audit-commission.gov.uk).

[Emma Roberts]