National Burn Awareness Week Heats Up

ZANESVILLE, OH – This week turns up the temperature on safety awareness with National Burn Awareness Week.

This week aims to kindle a fire under the public to recognize the dangers in everyday substances like gasoline, acetone, and certain cleaners. While useful, these liquids could ignite a dangerous situation if not handled properly.

“We had a couple fires that got started because people were not careful on how they started the fire. Be cautious of this, because fire could go out of control in a matter of minutes. Whole rooms could go up in flames in a matter of a minute. Especially with the materials we’re using these days. You have to be super careful about it. Do not take it lightly. Take it very seriously,” Zanesville Fire Department Firefighter and EMT, Khen Kim said.

Always be sure to keep flammable liquids away from heat sources and out of the reach of children. Never pour flammable liquids near an open flame or while equipment is running. To extinguish any potential safety threats, the Zanesville Fire Department provided tips on how to avoid burns and serious injuries when trying to start a fire.

“Safety to avoid burns, make sure you have a good distance before you start a fire. Have something ready in case something goes bad, like a garden hose ready or have a fire extinguisher ready if you want to start a fire,” Kim said.

In the event of a burn injury or fire, the first action should always be to call 911 for immediate assistance.