Paulinchen eV – Initiative for children with burn injuries
Norderstedt/Hamburg (ots)
The first rays of sunshine invite you to barbecue with family and friends. Unfortunately, in addition to charcoal and the like, liquid fire accelerants such as alcohol are still far too often to be found in supermarkets, DIY stores or at petrol stations. The use of methylated spirit causes jets of flame several meters high, which often result in severe burn injuries for all those around.
“Children who play near the grill or stand at eye level next to the grill often injure themselves,” says Susanne Falk, chairwoman of Paulinchen – Initiative for children with burns eV that liquid fire accelerators may no longer be sold as grill lighters and are best removed from the range. Barbecue accidents are 100% avoidable!”
Karl-Heinz Banse, President of the German Fire Brigade Association (DFV), emphasizes: “Again and again people use alcohol when barbecuing because it has to be done quickly. This can have fatal consequences result in burns,” said the DFV President. He also points out possible liability consequences if fire accelerators are used contrary to all warnings and regulations.
Prof. Dr. Henrik Menke, President of the German Society for Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRÄC) and Head of the Hessian Center for Severe Burns, adds: “In most cases, the children are hit frontally by the wall of flames and suffer severe burns to the head/face, torso and torso arms. This is associated with very great pain and requires a large number of skin transplants and lengthy treatment, also in order to maintain mobility, especially during growth. Scars remain visible for life!”
Tips for safe grilling:
- Set up the grill so that it is stable and protected from the wind.
- Never use liquid fire accelerators such as spirit or petrol – neither for lighting nor for refilling – risk of explosion!
- Use solid, tested grill lighters from specialist retailers.
- Always supervise the grill.
- Do not let children near the grill – safety distance of 2 to 3 meters!
- Do not allow children to operate or light the grill.
- Have a bucket of sand, a fire extinguisher or a fire blanket ready to put out the barbecue fire.
- Never extinguish burning fat with water, but by covering it.
- After grilling, continue to supervise the grill until the embers have cooled completely.
- Do not grill in closed rooms and never put the grill in the house to cool down – risk of poisoning!
- Never bury hot embers in the sand after barbecuing on the beach – the charcoal stays glowing hot for days! Extinguish the charcoal with water and cool.
- Extinguish disposable grills on the beach with water and cool them down – including the sand under the grill!
In the podcast ” little Paul to listen to” Episode 9 “Barbecue Accidents” gives insights and further background information on the subject. The podcast is available to listen to on all major streaming platforms. The more people actively participate in the educational work, the fewer barbecue accidents there will be. The prevention film von Paulinchen eV gives descriptive tips for safe grilling and can be used for prevention.
Links: www.paulinchen.de I Facebook I Instagram I You Tube
Paulinchen – Initiative for children with burn injuries advises and accompanies families with children who have burn injuries in every phase after the accident. A large competence network is available, so that no question about thermal injuries in childhood remains unanswered. The aim is to achieve the best possible care for each child with burn injuries and to point out the causes of accidents as a preventative measure.
Press contact:
For further information, please contact us on telephone number: 040 529 50 666 or by e-mail: [email protected]. Contact persons: Verena Deitmaring and Adelheid Gottwald
Original content from: Paulinchen eV – Initiative for children with burn injuries, transmitted by news aktuell