The Chattanooga Fire Department and Erlanger Health System are working together to put a spotlight on National Burn Awareness Week (February 7-13, 2021).
Sponsored by the American Burn Association (ABA), the theme for this year’s campaign- “Electrical Safety from Amps to Zap!” - was selected to help prevent electrical injuries and deaths.
In 2020, the Chattanooga Fire Department worked 47 structure fires that were caused by electrical issues. Erlanger treated nearly 400 patients for burns in varying severities. More than 370 burn patients came in through the health system’s seven emergency departments.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), local fire departments responded to an estimated average of 44,880 home fires involving electrical failure or malfunction each year in 2012-2016. NPFA also states that home fires involving electrical failure or malfunction caused an estimated average of 440 civilian deaths and 1,250 civilian injuries each year in 2012-2016, as well as an estimated $1.3 billion in direct property damage a year. The National Institute of Health (NIH) reports approximately 1000 deaths per year because of electrical injuries.
Burn prevention efforts can be combined with fire prevention efforts to reduce electrical burns. Here are some important safety tips:
- Check power cords for wear and tear
- Plug appliances into their own outlets
- Buy extension cords that have a UL or other third-party testing lab approval
- Never substitute extension cords for permanent wiring
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