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Burn Trauma News

 

Strong Regional Burn and Trauma Center

Trauma Center

Trauma Prevention and Safety Tips

Often times, traumatic injuries and accidents are unavoidable. However, many injuries occur each year that could be prevented by following some simple safety tips. Be informed and be safe. Learn more about trauma prevention Web sites

Check out the Strong Regional Burn and Trauma Center's trauma prevention tips for:

Safety For Kids of Rochester

In Monroe County, unintentional injury is the leading cause of death in infants, children, and teenagers. The Injury Free Coalition for Kids is the first program in Upstate New York developed to better identify where and why these accidents occur, and help prevent them. Learn more about the Injury Free Coalition for Kids

 

 

Prevention Tips for Children

For more information about preventing traumas visit
www.safekids.org
In Your House - Child Safety

  • Keep bleach, ammonia, and cleaning supplies out of children’s reach - they can be very poisonous

  • Keep all medications and vitamins out of children's reach

  • Get down to your child’s eye level and look for potential safety hazards

  • Don’t use baby walkers with wheels

  • Keep window blind cords wrapped up and out of reach

  • Review our burn prevention tips

  • Don’t leave a baby on a changing table - stay at the side of the table while changing diapers

  • Buckle the belts on highchairs and strollers

  • Keep chairs, cribs, beds, and furniture away from windows

  • Don’t play on the stairs. Remove objects from the stairs

  • Prevent falls

Car Safety

  • Children under 12 should sit in the back

  • Children between 40-80 pounds should be in a booster seat

  • Babies should face the rear until 1years old and 20 pounds

  • Don’t put rear-facing car seat in front of an air bag

  • Follow both the car seat manufacturer’s and the car’s manual to be sure to properly install the car seat

  • Call the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline - 800-424-9393 to see if there are any recalls or safety notices about your car seat

  • Attend a free car seat check

Water Safety

  • Don’t leave children alone in a bathtub, pool, or standing water (including buckets and toilets)

  • Don’t rely on inflatable toys, bubbles, rings, rafts, or floaties to prevent drowning

  • Put high fences around pools and hot tubs

  • Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) when boating

  • Sign children up for swimming lessons.


Prevention Tips For Adults

Fire Prevention
  • Install smoke detectors on every floor of your house and make sure to check the batteries on a regular basis

  • Be careful when cooking. Keep the handles of pots and pans turned in toward the center of the stove so that they can't be knocked or pulled over. Don't wear loose clothing when cooking, so that it doesn't catch fire. If grease catches on fire, carefully cover the pan with lid to smother the flames, then turn off the burner. Never put foil or other metals in a microwave oven.

  • Never leave space heaters on when you leave home or go to bed.

  • Replace any electrical cord that is cracked or frayed. Don't overload extension cords or run them under rugs.

  • Never smoke in bed or when you are sleepy. You should use large, deep ashtrays for smokers and put butts out with water before throughing them away.

  • If there's a fire and you must exit through smoke, crawl on your hands and knees to the nearest safe exit.
Vehicle Safety

  • Never drink alcohol and drive. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, drinking alcohol is a factor in 49% of all fatal motor vehicle accidents.

  • When operating a motorcycle, be sure to wear a helmet and the proper clothing. Also, make sure that the motorcycle's headlights are always on while driving.

  • You should always wear your seat belt.

Firearm Safety and Training
  • Over 40,000 people die each year from gunshot wounds. If you own a firearm, make sure that you always use it carefully. Before handling a gun, learn how it operates.

  • Always keep the gun pointed in a "safe direction". A "safe direction" means that the gun is pointed so that even if it were to go off it would not cause injury or damage.

  • Keep your finger off the trigger until ready to shoot.

  • The gun should always be unloaded until ready to use. Whenever you pick up a gun, immediately engage the safety device.

  • Only use the correct ammunition for your gun. Most firearms have the ammunition type printed on the barrel.

  • Never use alcohol or over-the-counter, prescription or other drugs before or while shooting a gun.


Prevention Tips For Older Adults

Safety in the House

  • According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, scalding burns occur most frequently in the elderly (>65 years old). Be careful when handling hot liquids and food.

  • Prevent falls among older adults by modifying the environment to reduce fall hazards and the impact of falls in the home. When possible, reducing medications with side effects that may contribute to falls.