Fire Safety (Fire, Burns, and Scalds)

Safety measures can be taken to protect children from burn and scald injuries. Injuries from burns and scalds can be a result of fire and flame, electricity, chemicals, and heat, and can result in long hospital stays. It is important to look for the possible injury risks associated with each stage of child development and focus on prevention.

Burns and Scalds

Burns and scalds require long and extensive medical care, are very painful and may leave permanent scarring and a loss of function. These injuries can be a result of fire or flame from candles, lighters, barbeques or fireplaces, hot appliances such as kettles, toasters or curling irons, and hot liquids such as a bottle of milk, bath water, or a hot beverage such as tea.

Children are at increased risk of burn and scald injuries for several reasons. For example, a child’s skin is thinner than an adult’s skin. A child’s skin burns four times more quickly and deeply than an adult’s, at the same temperature.

Children are also continually developing their motor skills (e.g., balance, climbing, and coordination) and cognitive skills (e.g., identifying hazards and understanding danger). As they grow and develop, they face different risks related to burns and scalds (e.g., grabbing at hot objects, falling onto flames or hot appliances). Young children are learning to roll, grab items, pull themselves up, and climb. As children become more mobile, they will move towards and grab or knock over items. As children learn how to keep themselves safe around potential hazards, they require active supervision.

Children have a right and a need to explore and play. Activities and items that may be a risk to children (e.g., fire) may also be intriguing to them. It is important that adults make safety a priority while also providing children opportunities to learn new skills.

Did you know?
It can take as little as 1 second to cause a deep burn injury on a child’s skin. Burns and scalds can be very painful and may require hospital stays.

Burn and Scald Prevention

Safety measures can be taken to protect children from burn and scald injuries, including the following.

Think ahead.

To reduce the risk of children pulling hot items onto themselves, remove placemats and tablecloths from tables and keep electrical cords for hot appliances (e.g., toaster, kettle, curling iron) out of the reach of children. Put hot liquids in spill-free containers (e.g., travel mugs).
Cover all electrical outlets with child-resistant covers.
Keep lighters, matches, and candles out of the reach of children. Use lighters with child-resistant safety features.
Lower the temperature of your hot water heater to 49°C. Young children’s skin is thinner and more sensitive than adults and can burn much more quickly.
Choose snug-fitting sleepwear for infants and toddlers because loose and baggy sleepwear can catch fire more easily.

Pay attention.

Actively supervise young children.
Look for hazards that may lead to burn and scald injuries (e.g., put out candles before leaving a room).

Be prepared.

Develop a home fire escape plan and practice it regularly with all who live in the home. For more information on fire escape plans, visit www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Staying-safe/Preparedness/Escape-planning.
Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, basement, and garage and know how to use it properly to put out small fires.
Install smoke alarms outside every sleeping room and on every level of the home, including the basement. Test smoke alarms monthly and set reminders to replace the batteries every six months. Make sure everyone in the home recognizes the sound of the smoke alarm and knows what to do when they hear it. Working smoke alarms give you early warning so you can get outside quickly in the event of a fire.

Make the area safe.

As another way to reduce the risk of children pulling hot items onto themselves, turn pot handles into the middle of the stove and use the back burners of the stove as much as possible.
Have a kid-free zone of at least 3 feet (1 metre) around hot items in the kitchen.
Keep all parts of e-cigarettes locked up and out of the sight and reach of children. E-cigarettes can overheat, short out, and explode. The explosions can cause a fire and burns to the skin, and the liquid in the cartridge may cause chemical burns to the skin.
Know which products in your home are powered by button batteries. Store unused batteries in a locked cabinet or a container that is out of reach of young children. Do not allow your child to play with button batteries. Swallowing button batteries can cause a chemical reaction that can severely burn the esophagus (throat), stomach, and intestines in less than two hours.
Keep all flammable and corrosive products locked up and out of the reach of children.

Teach safety skills.

Teach children to stay away from an open flame (e.g., fire pit, barbeque), and never to start a fire without an adult.
Teach children that fire can spread rapidly through your home. Keep doors closed when sleeping. A closed door can slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.
Teach older children to recognize hazard symbols on products.

Be a good role model.

Demonstrate and model safe behaviours when cooking and around an open flame.
Talk about fire safety regularly with children.

Cost of Injury

Children injured by fire, flame, hot liquids, or chemicals can require long hospital stays and may sustain serious burns (e.g., 3rd degree). This can impact the child throughout their life, including their ability to play and learn, while also impacting their parents, their entire family, and their peer relationships. There are also impacts on the healthcare system and the family’s finances. Children with burn and other injuries may deal with a lifetime of impacts such as scars, loss of function, pain, altered activity, and mental health concerns . To improve health outcomes for children that have experienced a burn or scald injury, visit the section Secondary Prevention. For more information on the cost of preventable injuries, read The Cost of Injury in Canada 2021.

Campfires

Teach children never to start a fire without an adult. Make campfire rules, like no running or playing nearby, keeping chairs a safe distance from the fire, and always walking around the back of the chairs. Never leave children unsupervised around a fire. Keep water or sand nearby to extinguish the fire. Do not assume that it is safe to just let a fire burn out. Even a little bit of wind can spark a fire.

Barbeques (BBQs)

Declare a 3-foot ‘kid-free zone’ around the BBQ. Teach children that the BBQ can be hot and is not safe to touch. Never leave children unsupervised around a hot BBQ. Use BBQ lighters with child-resistant safety features, and keep lighters out of sight and reach of children.

Fireworks

Enjoy fireworks from a distance, at a professional display. Using fireworks at home is dangerous and should be avoided, even if it is legal where you live. Never leave fireworks where children can access them. Don’t allow children to pick up pieces of fireworks after an event because they could still be hot or explode.

Secondary Prevention

It only takes a moment to have children’s lives changed forever by a burn or scald injury. Have a proper first aid kit readily available to reduce severity should a burn or scald injury occur. In the event of a burn or scald injury, first remove the child from the source of the burn or scald. Use cool or room temperature water to reduce the pain and inflammation. Never use ice as ice causes blood vessels to restrict and the wound needs blood flow to heal. Seek medical attention. For more information, visit www.kidshealth.org/en/parents/burns-sheet.html and watch Burn First Aid at www.youtube.com/watch?v=kwsiqf-1DzM. . * Please note: This video includes images of burn and scald injuries.

Kookum’s Gift: The Gift of Fire

This is a fire and burn prevention video. Annie Ledoux, an Elder from Mistawasis First Nation in Saskatchewan, who sadly has since passed away, is Kookum (Grandmother in Cree) in the video. While sitting around the campfire, Kookum takes the opportunity to convey to her grandchildren that fire is a spirit that must be respected. The story draws on Elder Annie’s own family experiences with fire and uses vivid imagery to portray the spiritual significance of fire within Mistawasis Nêhiyawak (Cree people in Plains Cree) cultural traditions.

Watch the Video

As part of the Kookum’s Gift, download the Fire Safety Colouring Sheet and Mix ‘N Match Fire Safety Rules listed below: Kookums Gift Grades 2 to 4 Colouring Sheet and Mix and Match Fire Safey Rules.

Scheduled This Month

Home Safety Tips: Preventing Childhood Injuries (Supporting Parents Webinar Series)

Creating a Personal Wellness Action Plan

Addressing Vaccine Hesitancy: Evidence-Based Strategies to Increase Acceptance

Advanced Motivational Interviewing Training

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Violence Against Women in the Perinatal Period

Motivational Interviewing Train the Trainer

Parenting Matters: Nurturing Attachment

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Home Safety Tips: Preventing Childhood Injuries (Supporting Parents Webinar Series)

Understanding Maternal Mental Health: Using the Updated EPDS Tool and Effective Follow-Up Strategies

Trauma-Informed Approaches for Pregnant and Parenting Women Who Use Alcohol During Pregnancy.

Supporting Parents Webinar Series: Pieces of the Puzzle

Assessment and Support of Preschoolers with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Supporting Indigenous Children in the Early Years

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