Brave young North East patients at one of the country’s biggest children’s hospitals became superheroes for the day after a visit from their local firefighters.
On Wednesday (October 11), Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) paid a special visit to the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
Members of their Prevention and Education team teamed up with medical staff from the Northern Regional Burns Centre to offer advice on recognising National Burn Awareness Day.
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They revealed that last year 7,335 children were admitted to hospital in England and Wales with serious injuries as a result of being burned or scalded.
Surprisingly, the most common cause of children’s burns isn’t fire – it’s hot drinks - with figures showing 30 children a day go to hospital with such burns.
TWFRS took one of our fire appliances down to the Children’s Hospital located on the grounds of the Royal Victoria Infirmary.
They were greeted by some of the young heroes currently being treated at the hospital, who had the chance to be heroes for the day.
The brave patients had the chance to explore the fire engine and try on some fire kits along with the hospital’s very own mascot, Fudge.
Station Manager Jonathan Ramanayake, for TWFRS’s Prevention and Education team, said: “It was invaluable for us to take part in the National Burn Awareness Day activities at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
“As a Service, our crews unfortunately attend a number of residential fires and household incidents where people, young and old, have been seriously burned or injured by means of fire or scolding from hot water.
“For parents and guardians to have essential first aid knowledge to administer after a burn or scold could prove vital in the long run, and help to reduce the overall impact on the person involved.
“Having a chance to meet the young patients was also incredible for our staff. Their bravery, at such a young age, should be an inspiration to us all.”
To accompany the fun and excitement generated by the visit, TWFRS reinforced the serious health and safety messaging being conveyed during the awareness day.
Fire service staff and nurses gave first aid advice to parents and guardians about how to treat burns and scolds, especially in the run-up to Bonfire Night.
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Dr Emma Hodgkinson, Psychological Lead for the Northern Burn Care Network at the Great North Children’s Hospital, said: "National Burn Awareness Day is a hugely important event in our annual calendar. While our primary role as clinicians is to treat burn injuries, we are also passionate about trying to reduce the risk of injury in the first place by promoting burn safety and prevention as well as effective first aid.
“The children had so much fun seeing the fire engine and meeting the fire service team, and their parents/carers gained some important knowledge about how to protect their child and care for them if they sustain an injury.
“We in the Northern Regional Burns Service are proud to have such a strong alliance with the Tyne and Wear Fire Service and look forward to working together to promote burns safety and prevention across our community."
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