In a concerted effort to educate youngsters and their parents about fire and burn prevention, Fayette County firemen and the Shriners kicked off their information campaign Thursday at Fayetteville Middle School. Several sixth grade classes and their teachers received the first of 18,000 packets to be distributed to county school children during fire and burn prevention week, designated for October 4 through 10.

"This is a group effort, " Fayetteville Fire Chief Alan Jones said. "There are three different fire departments involved: Fayette County, Peachtree City and Fayetteville," he added. The Shriners provided the literature, which includes home safety tips and emergency treatment advice.

According to reported statistics, there are 5,000 deaths and more than 40,000 injuries due to residential fire every year. Most of these fires occur at night when families are sleeping; children under the age of 10 account for half of all serious burn cases.

"These statistics are staggering, and the tragedy is that most of these deaths and injuries are preventable," said Shriner Jack Dettmering.

"It's heartbreaking that a majority of fire and burn related deaths involve children," added Fayette County Fire Marshal David Scarbrough. "We are very grateful to the Shriners for their commitment to the kids of Fayette County. The Shriners and all the fire departments involved have gone the extra mile to raise fire and burn prevention awareness."

Shriners are recognized for their contributions toward treatment of children with burns. There are currently 22 Shriners hospitals in North America which provide expert orthopedic or burn care to children up to their 18th birthday at no charge.

Below is a brief emergency guide prepared by the firefighters and Shriners for treatment of various types of burns.

Thermal burns are caused by contact with open flames, hot liquids, hot surfaces and other sources of high heat. A treatment plan should include the following:

u Stop the burning. Remove the victim from the heat source. u Cool the burn with cold water. u Check breathing. Stop bleeding. u Cover the burn with a sterile pad or clean sheet, maintain body temperature and take victim to the nearest medical facility. u Do not apply oils, sprays or ointments to serious burns.

In the event of chemical burns:

u Flush skin with water for at least 20 minutes. u Remove contaminated clothing, but avoid spreading the chemical to unaffected areas. u If the victim's eyes are involved, flush the eyes continuously with water until medical help is obtained. Remove contact lenses. u Cover the burn with a sterile pad or clean sheet, maintain body temperature and take victim to the nearest medical facility.

For electrical burns:

u Pull the plug at the wall or shut off the current. u Check breathing. Stop bleeding. u Cover the burn with a sterile pad or clean sheet, maintain body temperature and take victim to the nearest medical facility. u All electrical injuries should require medical attention. u In homes where children are present, consider using tamper-proof or child-proof receptacle cover. u Limit your use of extension cords.

For a free fire and burn prevention information packet, call Jack Dettmering at 770-460-8747.

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