"Kids tend to not do so well with burns," explained Captain Reda Bigler with the Phoenix Fire Department earlier this week. "Just because of their small surface area and just being so young."
Captain Bigler spelled out the harsh reality on Wednesday when a 24-year-old mother and her 2-year-old daughter were severely burned in an apartment fire near Central Avenue and Roeser Road.
This incident is one of the more severe ones. But, according to the Arizona Burn Center, more than half of all pediatric cases for burns involve children just four years old and younger.
But, one local organization is taking action with a brand new safety guide that is geared specifically toward protecting your kids from the smallest burn to the biggest blaze — all with a book. With each turn of the page, an important lesson is now hidden among imagination.
"The thing... about kids is that they learn through stories," Nan McCoy said. "And they learn through colorful characters."
McCoy is the Executive Vice President of the Arizona Burn Foundation. She said that the organization decided it was time for a revamp of their old childhood education program.
This one is a book with tabs, flashcards, interactive games and more — all aimed at engaging children so they can remember simple safety facts once the story ends.
"We know that if something is predictable, then we can help prevent it," McCoy explained.
That prevention comes in with Milo and Moxie, an adorable puppy and a fluttering hummingbird. They call them, the "Smart Safety Rangers" who guide kids through each spot in the house where trouble can spark up.
"Moxie is flying around very curious," McCoy described. "Maybe flying too close to dangerous areas in the home and Milo is there to correct and teach."
McCoy said the plan is to have volunteers go out to places like The Boys and Girls Club, Valley schools and more. They really want to incorporate it into any environment where kids can socialize on this subject. From there, they will get a safety guide that they can take home and continue the conversation with their family.
The Arizona Burn Foundation's goal is to educate 5,000 children across the country by the end of the year.
To help teach the program, the foundation is also looking for volunteers and will have three upcoming informational sessions on the program. If you would like to register, click here.
If you would like to find out how to get a volunteer to come to your school, home, event. etc. you can contact the foundation directly through their website information page .
