The younger children squealed with delight every time their father discovered another small cube of bread that they had hidden around the house. It was Pesach eve, and with candle and feather in hand he diligently searched every corner of the house for any overlooked morsel of hametz. "Aha," he sang out when he found another piece on the nightstand. The children clapped their hands jubilantly. But as their father bent down to search under the bed, the flame ignited the overhanging quilt and leapt quickly across it. A newspaper lying on the bed fed the flames and within seconds the mattress itself was on fire. The children, crying and screaming, fled the room as their father grabbed the mattress and dragged it to the steps. He tried to slide it down the stairs and out the front door where he could hose it down. But midway the mattress burst into a pillar of fire and began consuming everything around it. In terror the children ran out the front door and the family gathered in the cool night. Huddling close to them their mother realized that Moshe was missing. He'd been asleep in the rear bedroom. Frantically, she tried to return to the house, but her husband, and the firefighters who had quickly arrived, held her back.

Moshe often lies on his mother's lap these days, absorbing the sun's warmth. His limbs are stiff, his eyes unblinking. During the fire his brain had been denied too much oxygen, and now that night isn't even a memory. The therapists come regularly, and he receives a great deal of love, but Moshe lives in a world beyond reality, a world fashioned by smoke and fire.

In the United States, in 1992 alone, there were 1.2 million burn injuries, 35% of them children ⁽¹⁾. In a 1996 article published by the American Burn Association entitled "Why do Children Get Burned?"⁽²⁾ it was reported that "Burns and fire are the third leading cause of accidental death in all age groups and the leading cause of death in the home for children and young adults." The research concludes that "The majority of burns in this study occurred during normal home activities and could have been prevented by appropriate supervision particularly during food preparation and bathing activities."

Among Orthodox Jews the statistics are inordinately high. The New York Hospital Burn Center, the largest in the country, reports that 30-40% of the children in the unit are from observant families. In 1995 alone, there were 600 Jewish children from observant homes.

What accounts for the large percentage of observant Jewish children who are burn victims? Some basic sociological truths and the Jewish calendar are indicators. Many Jewish observant couples are blessed with large families. Some live in apartments meant to accommodate fewer people. Of necessity, parental vigilance of the younger children is often assumed by the older siblings. During holiday time, older married children gather in their parental home, bringing their own youngsters.

Holiday time also means candles and matches and fire. Six of the major Jewish holidays, as well as the weekly Sabbath, are welcomed by, and ended with candles. On many of the holidays a memorial candle is lit in honor of each departed family member. Chanukah is a festival of candles, and Pesach observance is inaugurated by searching, with a candle, for hametz.

And then there is the food. There is usually intense kitchen activity in preparation for Sabbath and holiday meals--an average of eighteen meals during the three week High Holiday season alone. Keeping that food warm during Sabbath and holidays involves any combination of devices, including an urn and crock pot--each with an electrical cord, a blech which is a piece of tin that conceals a stove top flame underneath, an oven fire, or a warming tray. And the food itself typically includes hot soup, hot tea, and a hot bean casserole fondly known as cholent.

In addition to candles and food there is the space heater in the sukkah, the towel over the lamp whose timer malfunctioned, the dangling tablecloth, the burning of the hametz, and the cigarette that cannot be extinguished on the holiday, but is left to burn itself out.

These are among the many elements that bring light and warmth and memories to a child's life. But they can also bring disaster and tragedy.

The kitchen was finally being remodeled and Denise didn't even mind the plaster dust and all the inconveniences. She happily washed dishes in the bathtub and cooked meals on the small electrical burner. It was Shabbos morning and she cut up the last of the vegetables for the salad they would have for lunch, along with cholent and cold cuts. She smiled as she watched Allison, her active and alert nine month old crawl toward the dining room. Suddenly, there was a loud crash and a second's silence followed by a piercing shriek. Allison had crawled toward the table. She saw something thin, narrow enough for her small fingers to grasp, hanging between the table and wall. She reached up and grabbed it for leverage so she could stand. But the weight of her small body on the dangling cord dragged the crock pot and its steaming contents off the table.

Allison spent the next seven months in the hospital with multiple infections from burns covering 65% of her body.

It is almost impossible for a parent not to turn a back on an inquisitive tot, but there are very definite safety precautions that parents should implement in their home.

Here is a sampling.

• In the Kitchen and at the Table:
  • Appliance cords should never be hanging from a counter top or table
  • Turn pot handles on the stove inward, so they are out of reach of children
  • When frying foods keep the cover nearby and have some baking soda within reach to put out a small fire
  • Whenever possible use back burners only
  • Keep urns, crock pots, warmers, blechs, etc. out of reach
  • Tablecloth edges should not dangle within reach of a young child, and no hot foods should be placed near the edge of a table
  • Cups or bowls of hot substances should not be left unattended, nor consumed while holding a child. Even infants can make unanticipated movements.

• Sabbath and Holiday Precautions:
  • Keep all candles and matches, including lit memorial containers and Chanukah menorahs out of reach
  • When searching for hametz keep the candle away from flammable objects. Use a flashlight for hard to reach places

• Other Household Precautions:
  • Walking on a rug that has wires underneath can cause them to fray and become exposed and liable to catch fire
  • Use child safety covers on electrical outlets
  • Avoid space heaters and kerosene burners
  • Never drape towels or clothing over lamps
  • Do not leave a hot iron within reach of children
  • Never leave a child unattended in a sink or bathtub, even to answer the phone or to get a towel

Parents can plan and activate safety precautions to help educate and train their children.

Some precautions include:

• Areas that are designated around stoves and candles where children are not permitted to stand
• Fire drills that are practiced on a regular basis, including two marked exits from each room and escape methods from the house
• Instructions on how to call the fire department, and where to meet once outside
• Smoke detectors that are placed and maintained throughout the house
• Baby-sitters that are trained in burn precautions and treatment

Parents can also encourage schools to provide fire and burn prevention education. The Burn Center in Ramsey, St. Paul, Minnesota has developed a Safety Camp, with teams, songs, and games designed to teach children such safety issues as burn and fire prevention, bike safety, poison hazards, water safety, stranger danger, electrical safety, and the use of 911.⁽³⁾

All family members should also be taught what to do in the event of a fire. If evacuation is possible, one should drop to the floor and stay low, taking advantage of the oxygen that collects as smoke rises. The mouth and nose should be covered to ease breathing. Before opening any door, it should be checked for heat. Intense heat signifies that the fire is right beyond the door, and the alternate exit should be used. If it is not hot, it should be opened slowly.

If evacuation is not possible, then the bottom of the door should be blocked with clothes or a rolled up rug. The top and bottom of the window should be opened, allowing air to enter and smoke to escape. Something should be hung outside the window to attract attention.

Drilling children in burn and fire prevention and response is no guarantee, but it is as important as teaching them how to help someone who is choking, what to say to a stranger, and how to call the police. We hope they will never have to use this knowledge, but take comfort in their having it.

The Simons were delighted with the twins and hosted a kiddush in shul in honor of their new daughters' arrival. The younger boys wheedled their way among the dense crowd and after satiating their cravings for cake and cholent, decided to play tag. Chaim deftly slid under one of the buffet tables placed not far from the wall and began running in the narrow space. As he maneuvered his way he checked to see how close his opponent was behind him. With his head still turned sideways, Chaim ran into the cord attached to a huge urn of hot water. He stumbled and fell, overturning the heavy urn. The scalding water burned 80% of his body.

Despite our best attempts to prevent, train, and supervise children, accidents do happen and it is vital to know how to treat a burn in those first critical moments.

All clothing from the affected area must be removed. Clothing that sticks should not be dislodged

The burned area should be flushed with cool water. If the burn is caused by a chemical, the flushing should continue for 20-30 minutes

A clean cloth or sterile pad should be used to cover the area

If clothing catches on fire, the person should drop to the ground and roll until the flames have been extinguished Medical help should be summoned

Children, young children in particular, find security and comfort in rules and boundaries that are reasonable and consistent. They also thrive on the rituals and structure of religious observance. Caretakers and parents of young children must ensure that all forms of fire remain firmly beyond their reach, even as they enjoy and celebrate the warmth of their heritage.

1. Brigham, Peter A. and McLoughlin, Elizabeth, "Burn Incidence and Medical Care Use in the United States: Estimates, Trends, and Data Sources," Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation , March/April 1996, p. 95.

2. Barillo, D.J. et al, "Why Do Children Get Burned?' Abstract, American Burn Association Annual Meeting Program Book, 1996, p. 79.

3. For additional information see: Hilgers, M. et al, "Reducing Childhood Injuries Through Safety Camps," Abstract, American Burn Association Annual Meeting Program Book, 1996, p. 81.

Recommended Reading:

"Burn Wise! Burn Prevention Information of Special Interest to Observant Jews" published by The Burn Center at New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center, (212) 746-5417.

For further information, please contact Ortec International, Inc., (212) 740-6999.