Burns, Fires & Explosions
Burn injuries are tremendously painful leaving
scarring and permanent disfigurement. Fires and explosions
causing burns are most often preventable.
Fires injure about 25,000 people each year killing another 4,000.
Smoke, heat and gases typically kill more people than flames.
Working smoke alarms and fire detectors dramatically increase the chance of
surviving a fire. It's inexpensive protection that should be purchased and
maintained by property owners and operators. The failure to install
and maintain smoke alarms and fire detectors is negligent.
Electrical Fires often cause of burns and burn injuries. Circuits and
extension cords should not be overloaded and electrical cords and wires must not
be place under rugs, over nails or in high traffic areas. In addition,
appliances must not overheat and should be replaced if they have unusual smells, shorts or sparks.
As every parent should
know too, in order to avoid electrocution, safety caps should cover unused outlets.
Other common causes of fires are portable heaters and combustible materials.
Extreme caution must be exercised with kerosene fuel, propane gas and fuel
tanks, which can not only cause fire but explosions.
Fires are frequent in the holiday season. Care must be taken to
prevent fires from trees, holiday lights, wrapping paper and fireplaces. Candle fires are a danger as well. Lit candles
should be avoided but if candles are used they must be in stable
holders and placed where they cannot be knocked down. Never leave a
house with burning candles.
Scalding hot water is another common cause of preventable burn injuries.
Natural gas and electric water heaters must be properly maintained and set at
reasonable temperatures. The failure to set gas heaters and electrical
water heaters at such a temperature is negligent.
Burns must be cared for right away. First-degree burns
are the least serious and effect the outer layer of skin, which
is typically red, swollen and painful. Second-degree burns are worse and
penetrate the outer layer of skin. Blisters are typical and skin looks quite red and splotchy. Second-degree
burns, especially those larger than a quarter or so, usually require emergency
medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and may even be painless.
These burns go through every layer of skin and can affect fat, muscle or
bones. Third-degree burns look charred black or dry and white.
Generally, 911 should be called right away and victims should
be treated only to check for breathing with burns covered with a cool, clean
cloth.
Severe burns, such as third degree burns and severe chemical, electrical or
thermal burns, often require skin grafts. Skin grafting is the
transplanting or autografting of skin. A skin graft is a patch of skin
surgically removed from one area of the body and transplanted to another.
Burns are debrided whereby dead skin cells are removed and disinfected and then
a skin graft of healthy skin is taken and placed in the damaged area. Skin
donor sites are usually in areas hidden by clothes and efforts are made to match
donor skin with the skin around the wound. Extensive tissue loss requires
a full-thickness skin graft, which includes the entire thickness of the skin.
This is complicated and requires that skin with underlying muscle and blood
supply be transplanted.
Burns, Fires &
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