Mass casualties and disasters such as explosions and fires can cause a variety of serious injuries, including burns. These can include thermal burns, which are caused by contact with flames, hot liquids, hot surfaces, and other sources of high heat as well as chemical burns and electrical burns. Most victims of fires die from smoke or toxic gases, not from burns (Hall 2001). On average in the United States in 2004, someone died in a fire every 135 minutes, and someone was injured every 30 minutes (Karter 2005).
- Each year in the United States, 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention (American Burn Association, 2002).
- Approximately 50,000 burn injuries require hospitalization;
- Approximately 20,000 are major burns involving at least 25 percent of the total body surface;
- Approximately 4,500 of these people die.
- Up to 10,000 people in the United States die every year of burn-related infections.
- Only 60 percent of Americans have an escape plan, and of those, only 25 percent have practiced it (NFPA, 1999).
- Smoke alarms cut your chances of dying in a fire in half (NFPA, 1999).
Sources:
National Fire Protection Association (1999) NFPA National Fire Escape Survey, Quincy (MA).
Karter MJ. (2005) Fire loss in the United States during 2004. Quincy (MA): National Fire Protection Association, Fire Analysis and Research Division.
Hall JR. (2001) Burns, toxic gases, and other hazards associated with fires: Deaths and injuries in fire and non-fire situations. Quincy (MA): National Fire Protection Association, Fire Analysis and Research Division.
American Burn Associations (2002). Burn Incidence Fact Sheet.
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