In 1999, an electrical malfunction in an air conditioner started a fire in the home of Danny and Alanna Hess. Thanks to four weeks of advanced medical treatment at the Cincinnati Shriners Hospital and long-term use of pressure garments, the twins' scarring will be minimal. The VNR dicusses ways to prevent burn injuries in the home and the importance of using flame-retardent sleepwear to help keep children safe. An important visual tool used to promote the good works of Shriners Hospitals, VNRs are pre-produced news segments for use by television news programs. Copies will be distributed across the U.S., targeting stations with a history of airing stories about Shriners Hospitals.
Young children face greater risks from burn injuries than do adults and older children.
The emphasis of this year's Burn Awareness Week safety tips is to encourage parents to dress children in only fire-resistant sleepwear. Shriners Hospitals voiced concerns in May 2000 when David Herndon, M.D., chief of staff of Shriners Hospital in Galveston , testified in Washington, D.C., before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade and Consumer Protection of the House Committee on Commerce to support upcoming legislation to restore the strict sleepwear standards that for 25 years protected the health and safety of children. However, the legislative effort stalled in the Senate when other issues came to the forefront, and a hearing date was not available before the Senate adjourned for the November elections. In 1971, the CPSC adopted strict flammability standards for all infants' and children's sleepwear, effectively reducing the number of burn-related deaths and injuries in young children. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that the strict standards resulted in a significant decrease in the number of deaths associated with children's sleepwear.