The Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center at Stony Brook University Hospital — the only designated burn care facility in Suffolk County, released 10 Safety Tips as families continue to practice social distancing during the coronavirus panademic.
One the most common injuries that can occur in a home is a burn injury, and one of the places people get burned the most is in the kitchen.
With not being able to dine out at restaurants, people are turning to cooking while self-quarantined. Stony Brook doctors have cared for a 10 percent increase of burn injuries and accidents over last year in this same time period as more meals are being cooked at home and the public shelters-in-place. And, as the weather improves and people start spending time in their backyards for barbecues, cookouts or build fire pits, there’s a greater risk to sustain a burn injury.
To avoid injury, Steven Sandoval, MD, Assistant Professor of Surgery and Medical Director of the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center at Stony Brook University Hospital, says “The best way to do this is to prevent the burn in the first place with safety tips and precautions to eliminate potential dangers.”
- Teach your children to not grab objects or play with items that can be hot. Go through a lesson where they learn to ask permission.
- Please don’t leave hot coals from fire pits and barbecues laying on the ground for people to step in.
- Limit the use of flammable liquids to start your fire pits and barbecues.
- Use only approved lighter fluids that are meant for cooking purposes. No gasoline or kerosene.
- Be vigilant about keeping children away from playing with and around fire and near the barbecue station.
- Always use oven mitts or potholders to remove hot items from the stove or microwave. Assume pots, pans and dishware are hot.
- Use the back burners of the stove to prevent children from reaching up and touching hot pots and pans.
- If you are overly tired, and consumed alcohol, do not use the stovetop, fire pit or a fire place.
- After cooking, check the kitchen to make sure all burners and other appliances are turned off.
- Stay protected from the sun. Use hats and sunblock, and realize that sunblock needs to be reapplied after swimming or after sweating.
As the only designated burn care facility for more than 1.5 million residents of Suffolk County, the Burn Center at Stony Brook University Hospital coordinates burn services throughout the county, and conducts training and research in burn care. The Burn Center also serves as a resource to neighboring community-based hospitals. Patients of all ages – from infants through geriatrics – are treated at the Burn Center.
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