Hillcrest Gives Safety Warning Ahead of Fourth of July Holiday

Doctors at Hillcrest are reminding people to be careful ahead of the Fourth of July holiday.

They say between fireworks and grilling accidents, this is a busy time for the burn center.

Dr. Weera Chainakul said on an average weekend they'll see about 5 burn patients, but over the Fourth of July holiday, they'll see anywhere from 20 to 30.

"We see minor burns, small flash burns, sunburns to really severe injuries, involving large body surface areas requiring admission and even requiring surgery like skin grafting," he said.

Dr. Chainakul says if you're using fireworks, you need to make sure you're being as safe as possible.

"First, always follow directions on the packaging, you want to be supervised if you're a child, for adults you don't want to be intoxicated," he said.

The burn center also sees severe sunburn patients, and you must apply sunscreen about every hour outside. They also see people who have had grilling accidents involving lighter fluid. Dr. Chainakul says if you get a severe burn, you want to rinse it off with cool, not cold water and then put a nonstick bandage on it.

If it gets worse, you need to go to the hospital.

"Definitely seek medical attention if you start to have systemic signs, such as a high fever at home, or uncontrollable pain or the appearance of the wound worsens considerably, if there's a lot of drainage or redness that might be off-putting," he said.

He says they want people to have a good time, but there's a difference between having fun and being irresponsible.

"We certainly do want people to be patriotic and celebrate the Fourth of July, but we always want to keep the amount of danger they experience to a minimum," he said.

He says second-degree burns can usually heal within a couple of weeks, but third-degree burns can require surgery and take a couple of months to heal.