The circle of safety: a campfire burn prevention campaign expanding nationwide.
Camping is a popular family activity, especially during the spring and summer months. Campfires are a common activity among campers. They offer a source of recreation but also pose a risk for severe burns. The rising number of children with campfire burns seen at our institution triggered a quest for a campaign for the prevention of these injuries. A chart review was performed to study the characteristics and the circumstances of burn injuries of all children treated for campfire-related injuries over a 4-year period between 1997 and 2001. Thirty-two children sustained campfire-related burn injuries, with 88% being under the age of 7. The children had either fallen into the campfire or walked into simmering coals. All accidents would have been prevented if the children had kept a safe distance from the campfire. Normal growth charts were used to determine the average height of 7-year-old children as being 48 inches. A campaign was started to encourage families to keep a safe distance of 4 feet from their campfires by drawing a "circle of safety" with a stick on the ground 4 feet away from the fire.
Maguiña
Pirko
P
Shriners Hospital for Children of Northern California, Sacramento, California, USA.
Palmieri
Tina L
TL
Curri
Terese
T
Nelson
Kate
K
Greenhalgh
David G
DG
D000056:Accident Prevention; D002056:Burns / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002165:Camping; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012449:Safety