Staying Safe and Preventing Burns From Fireworks, Fire Pits, and Outdoor Grills

One of the great strengths of the County of Santa Clara is our healthcare system. Every year we provide high quality, cost-effective health care to more than 300,000 residents and visitors. In many cases the care provided at our three hospitals –Valley Medical Center, O’Connor, and St. Louise – is world-class. One example is the burn unit at VMC. It is the only combined burn/trauma unit in the entire San Francisco Bay Area and unfortunately this time of year is one of its busiest periods.

Normally, the burn unit sees an average of one to two patients admitted per day but during the summer, particularly the weeks surrounding July 4th, that average jumps to as many as six admissions per day. If you also include patients treated with less severe burns in the VMC emergency department the number jumps to between 50 and 100.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 60% of the firework-related injuries in the U.S. last year were to those between 2 and 24 years old. Even the smallest fireworks can cause significant injuries, particularly in children. The burn unit sees many children with sparkler related burns. This is one of the reasons that even so-called “safe and sane” fireworks are illegal in Santa Clara County.

However, not all of the injuries treated by the burn unit and the emergency department are firework related. Barbecues and fire pits are the most common causes of the injuries that the burn unit treats during the summer. Every year the unit treats individuals who have fallen into fire pits or outdoor grills. Very often this happens because the victim is under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants. Please keep yourself and your family safe this summer. Drinking and grilling do not mix any more than drinking and driving.

Santa Clara County is blessed to have one of the best burn units in the world right here in our backyard at Valley Medical Center. It is up to all of us to ensure that it is not used very often this summer.

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Officials from the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Burn Unit and the Santa Clara County Fire Department held a news conference last week focused on staying safe and preventing fires during this time of year. You can view the news conference at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmXCTJItGfs.