Scald Safety
Fire and Burn Death and Injury
§Deaths
–4,000 deaths a year
from fire and burns
§
§Injuries
–25,000 hospitalized in burn centers
–600,000 burn injuries treated in hospital EDs
–(Close to half of all burn injuries treated in hospital emergency departments and one-third of admissions to burn centers are scald injuries)
(Sources: National Fire Protection Association,
National Center for Health Statistics;
                     American Burn Association, National Burn Repository, 2005)
Up to 4,000 people a year die from fire and burn injuries. Most die at the scene.
Most of those with severe fire and burn injuries who do not die at the scene are transported immediately to one of the 125 hospitals in the U.S. with specialized burn centers. Physicians, nurses, therapists and other members of the burn teams at these centers treat over 25,000 such admissions each year.
Burn specialists also care for many of the 600,000 burn injuries treated in hospital emergency departments each year. These patients are often referred to burn specialists after initial treatment at the hospital where they were first seen.
Close to half the burn injuries treated in hospital emergency departments, or as many as 300,000, are scalds, and about one-third of admissions to burn centers are for scald injuries.
(Bridge)     What is a scald injury?  When does it occur?