The Stratford Professional Firefighters Burn Foundation has embarked on an ambitious campaign to prevent burn injuries caused by scalds. Our foundation was contacted by the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Center last year, and informed that there was an increase in the number of scald related burns in our town. Assistant Chief Tim Brennen, Vice President of our foundation and Chair of this campaign, began to research this information presented to us and became concerned about the number of burn injuries that could be prevented by educating the residents in our town about scald burns. Assistant Chief Brennen, is aggressively working on a four phase program to inform the residents of the Town of Stratford to the dangers of these injuries. Also, Assistant Chief Brennen is working very closely with the Bridgeport Hospital Burn Center, with the development of this project.
We have received tremendous support in the way of grants to fund this project from the following companies and we thank them for their support!
The United Illuminating Company
The Bridgeport Hydraulic Company
Southern Connecticut Gas Company
Phase One:
A scald prevention informational card is scheduled to be mailed on October 30, 2009 to the 32,000 households in the Town of Stratford. This card will inform the residents, of important information related to the prevention of scald burns, such as water temperatures, hot liquids such as coffee and tea and tips to reduce the possibility of being injured.
Phase Two:
Scald prevention posters will be printed and will be placed in businesses for the public to view. Phase Three:
A survey will be condusted by the firefighters who will complete a survey and test the hot water from residents homes and and will collect the following information:
* How many residents received our scald prevention card in the mail, and acted on it? * How many residents tap water was higher than 120 degrees? * How many residents in our town were burned during this period due to scalds? * What are the demographics of the residents we visited? * What type of residences were visited?
Phase Four:
We are hopeful that the statistics and information compiled will be presented at a future American Burn Association Conference, where this information can be shared to all organizations working to prevent burn injuries.
If you have any questions, or would like to make a contribution to help us defray the cost of this project, please contact Assistant Chief Brennen at (203) 385-4072.
