Online Resource Guide for Burn Prevention and Treatment

The National Safety Council contends that the United State has the highest rate of burn injuries in the industrialized world. That seems to imply that many of these injuries are preventable and that victims and their families do not have to deal with the physical and emotional pain caused by these injuries.

While various public awareness campaigns are routinely carried about by local fire departments and other agencies, they are not always effective, as evidenced by the approximately 2 million people that are hurt in fires every year in this country.

The internet promises a new kind of public awareness campaign. It is a campaign that can be driven by each individual who has a question about the cause of fires and burns or the effect of burns on a victim.

The following websites create a good online resource guide for burn injuries:

Burn Prevention and Causes

1. The Burn Prevention Foundation: this organization, located in Eastern Pennsylvania, services both its local area and the nation. It offers a variety of programs that are designed to educate people about burn risks and to advocate for safety changes and awareness. Much of their work is focused on people who are in greatest need of help. However, the resources provided by this organization are useful to everyone.
2. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA): the NFPA provides many useful tips for both preventing fires and preventing serious burns if a fire does occur. Resources are provided for advocates, parents and teachers so that they can effectively teach children how to stay safe for a lifetime.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): the CDC provides information about risk factors and identifies groups of people who are most likely to suffer burn injuries in a fire.

Burn Treatment

1. Mayo Clinic Burn First Aid: this resource page from the world renowned Mayo Clinic helps people without medical training distinguish between first, second and third degree burns and provides useful first aid tips for all three degrees of burns.
2. American Institute for Preventative Medicine First Aid for Burns: this resource page teaches people about the signs and symptoms of burns and provides a useful flow chart to help people determine the right type of treatment.

Information found on various websites might be able to reduce the number of fire and burn injuries in the United States. The information also provides valuable treatment advice that can prevent additional suffering and even fatalities. Hopefully, the use of online resources such as the ones described above will be effective in educating and preventing future burn injuries.