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A RESOLUTION recognizing University of Louisville Hospital's Burn Center and 1
designating February 5 to 11, 2023, as Burn Awareness Week in the Commonwealth of 2
Kentucky. 3
WHEREAS, burn injuries continue to be one of the leading causes of accidental 4
death and injury in the nation where tragically, children, the elderly, and the disabled are 5
especially vulnerable to burn injuries, and almost one-third of all burn injuries occur in 6
children under the age of 15; and 7
WHEREAS, in the United States, the CDC reports 276,086 people received medical 8
care for treatment of unintentional burn injuries in 2020, with 3,028 deaths from fire and 9
smoke inhalation. According to reports made to the American Burn Association registry 10
91,875 people were treated in hospitals for burn-related injuries with 32% of those being 11
for scalds; and 12
WHEREAS, compared to the overall population, children under five were two 13
times as likely to be seen for burn injuries at a hospital emergency department. Young 14
adults ages 20 to 29 had 1.4 times the risk, and adults ages 30-39 had 1.3 times the risk of 15
the general population; and 16
WHEREAS, the primary causes of injury include fire flames, scalds, contact with 17
hot objects, and electrical and chemical burns. Most of the injuries occur in the home. 18
Today, 96.8% of those who suffer burn injuries will survive. Unfortunately, many of 19
those survivors will sustain serious scarring, life-long physical disabilities, and 20
adjustment difficulties; and 21
WHEREAS, National Burn Awareness Week, an initiative of the American Burn 22
Association, is a coming together of burn, fire, and life safety educators to make the 23
public aware of the frequency, devastation, and causes of burn injury, as well as 24
consistent and authoritative measures to prevent these injuries, and how to best care for 25
those that are injured; and 26
WHEREAS, the theme for 2023 National Burn Week is "Scalds: Hot Liquids Burn 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1301
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Like Fire!" where a common risk of injury exists from hot liquids, steam, and hot bath 1
water; and 2
WHEREAS, significant research and medical advances have dramatically improved 3
burn care and treatment, aided rehabilitation, shortened hospital stays, and increased burn 4
survival rates. Aftercare support for the physical and emotional effects of burn injuries 5
has also played a key role in the successful reintegration of burn survivors into our 6
communities. Furthermore, burn safety education and prevention efforts continue to 7
reduce the number of people who suffer burns each year; and 8
WHEREAS, many people devote their lives and careers to treating, caring for, 9
supporting, and rehabilitating burn injury survivors, including those performing vital 10
work in burn research and development. There are dedicated firefighters who risk their 11
own lives every day to protect others, as well as burn foundations and other life safety 12
professionals who promote burn injury awareness and prevention. 13
WHEREAS, University of Louisville Hospital is home to the only dedicated adult 14
burn center in Kentucky, where a multidisciplinary team cares for approximately 350 15
patients annually; and 16
WHEREAS, University of Louisville Hospital's Burn Center offers holistic services 17
including trauma and plastic surgeons, registered nurses, physical, speech, and 18
occupational therapy, burn technicians, social services, psychiatry, nutrition, addictive 19
medicine, and chaplaincy services to assist patients and their families towards recovery; 20
NOW, THEREFORE, 21
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the 22
Commonwealth of Kentucky: 23
Section 1. The House of Representatives hereby designates February 5 to 11, 24
2023, as Burn Awareness Week in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 25
Section 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives is directed to transmit a 26
copy of this Resolution to Representative Pamela Stevenson for delivery to University of 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1301
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Louisville Hospital's Burn Center. 1