Shriners Children’s Offers Burn Prevention Tips to Keep Your Family Safe This Holiday Season

The magic of the holiday season is upon us once again. This special time of year includes festive lights, bright decorations and joyful family gatherings. While the happiest time of the year brings with it many moments of joy, it also comes with the potential for burn injuries. Shriners Children's wants to keep you and your family safe this holiday season.

“There are a few burn injuries we sometimes see more frequently during the holidays that can be minimized with some preventive measures. Pots on stove tops, dangling kitchen cords, and hanging table cloths can be tugged by curious toddlers, causing scald burns," said Shriners Children’s Boston Chief of Staff Robert L. Sheridan, M.D. "Candles can ignite clothing, causing flame burns. Overloaded outlets and chains of aged extension cords or poorly-placed space heaters can result in fire. Attention to prevention will minimize tragic holiday injury.”

As leaders in burn care devoted to the mission of educating the public on burn safety, Shriners Children’s is sharing tips to help families stay burn aware and celebrate the holidays safely.

Cook With Caution

Often described as the heart of a home, the kitchen is a particular focal point during the holidays. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, holiday cooking is a leading cause of residential fires each December. The kitchen comes with many inherent risks for burn injury. Keep these tips in mind while preparing your holiday meals this year.

• Create a zone of safety of at least 3 feet around the stove for children, or consider the kitchen a kid-free zone during holiday meal preparation.
• To prevent burns from hot food or liquid spills, use the back burner of your stove and turn pot handles away from the edge.
• Keep hot liquids away from children. Make sure any soup, coffee or other hot liquid is kept towards the center of the table or counter.
• Always pour hot liquids away from your body when transferring from one vessel to another.
• Use the same technique when turning food in a pan, turn food away so any oil splatter moves opposite of your hands and body.
• Wear short sleeves or roll sleeves up when cooking. You can also wear a bib style apron, which covers the front of your body, typically from the neckline to the knees.
• Keep a lid or cookie sheet nearby to cover a pan if it catches fire.
• Make sure that electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.