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ANN ARBOR
- The University
of Michigan Health System Trauma Burn Center and the Ann Arbor
Fire Department remind the community that May 6-12 is Arson Awareness
Week, a time to remember that arson causes many deaths and countless
injuries each year.
It's also an
opportunity to talk to loved ones - especially children - about
fire safety.
The National
Fire Protection Association reports that 700 arson fires are set
each day in the United States by children under the age 18. About
300 children will die and 3,000 more will be injured this year by
juvenile firesetting. Another alarming fact: One-third of all children
killed by fire set the fires themselves.
"Fire
in the hands of a child is never safe," says Pam Pucci, R.N.,
Trauma Burn Center nurse educator. "We see many injuries from
both hazardous experimentation, and plain curiosity, which often
motivates many children to play with fire."
Pucci and her
colleagues both at the U-M center and the Ann Arbor Fire Department
know all too well what fire can do. Each year, the Trauma Burn Center
team cares for hundreds of fire victims with advanced techniques
that give the center its Level I designation.
"Arson
affects everyone," says Scott Rayburn, fire chief, Ann Arbor
Fire Department. "The costs to the community are high and the
loss of life is devastating. Make it a priority during this year's
Arson Awareness Week to talk to your kids about fire safety."
Education is
a critical component in stopping these devastating burn injuries.
The Trauma Burn Center as well as the Ann Arbor Fire Department,
local and state officials, the courts and many community groups
have made significant efforts to develop and implement programs
to teach fire safety and show that fire can have devastating consequences.
In addition
to injury and loss of life, the Michigan Arson Prevention Committee
reports that arson costs Michigan residents nearly $160 million
annually. Those losses don't include the indirect costs of medical
care, funeral expenses, lost wages, temporary shelter, business
interruption, building demolition, investigations, court proceedings
or incarcerations. Arson also has a significant impact on what Michigan
residents pay for insurance, the committee says.
To lend further
support and focus attention on arson prevention, Gov. John Engler
issued an official declaration declaring May 6-12, 2001 as Michigan
Arson Awareness Week.
For more information
about the U-M Trauma Burn Center, visit www.traumaburn.org.
For brochures about juvenile arson call (734) 647-0158.
For more information
or to arrange counseling, call the Ann Arbor Fire Department's fire
safety education line at (734) 997-1619.
- Concerned
public officials and educators urge parents and caregivers to:
- Teach young
children that fire and fire tools are for grown-ups to use.
- Keep matches
and lighters out of reach, in high, locked cabinets.
- Supervise
young children.
- Ask young
children to tell you when they find matches and lighters, and
then put them away.
- Teach older
children proper techniques in using fire and fire tools - how
to safely strike a match or light a candle with supervision.
- Praise your
child for practicing responsible behavior and showing respect
for fire.
- Set a good
example, use matchers, lighters and fire carefully.
- Keep your
home fire safe!
- Never leave
a stove or a candle unattended.
- Install
and maintain smoke detectors for early warning.
- Plan and
practice a home fire escape drill.
- Inspect
your home often for fire hazards.
- If your
child experiments with fire, notify your local fire department
immediately to see what programs might be available.
Facts about
fire injuries and juvenile arson:
- Each year,
more than 2,500 children die from burn injuries, and another 10,000
suffer severe permanent disability.
- More than
half of all arson arrests in the U.S. are of children under 18,
up from about 40 percent a decade ago. Nearly half of the children
arrested are younger than 15.
- Arson fires,
whether set by children or adults, each year result in about 560,000
fires, 750 deaths, 3,700 injuries and $1.5 billion in property
loss.
- Fires set
by young children in the U.S. each year account for 95,000 fires,
more than 300 deaths, and $300 million in property damage.
- Boys and
girls as young as 2 can exhibit curiosity in fire or experiment
with it.
- Children
often don't understand the consequences of uncontrolled fire.
- Children
may use fire to express anger, sadness, frustration and powerlessness.
For more information,
visit the following Web sites:
U-M Health
System Trauma Burn Center
www.traumaburn.org
Health Topics
A to Z: Juvenile arson
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/child/parent33.htm
Health Topics
A to Z: Fire Safety and Burn First Aide
www.med.umich.edu/1libr/child/child33.htm
Ann Arbor Fire
Department
www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us/framed/fire/int-fire.htm
Written by
Valerie Gliem
For more
information, contact Kara Gavin or Valerie Gliem, UMHS Public
Relations, 734-764-2220, or by e-mail.
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