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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1774
Page 1 of 2
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A RESOLUTION designating February 1 to 7, 2026, as Burn Awareness Week in 1
the Commonwealth of Kentucky and recognizing University of Louisville Hospital's 2
Burn Center. 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 injurie s occur in 6
children under the age of 15; and 7
WHEREAS, in the United States, the CDC reports that 398,000 people received 8
medical care for burn injuries in 2021, with 252,000 deaths from injuries related to hot 9
objects or substances; and 10
WHEREAS, compared t o the overall population, children under five were two 11
times as likely to be seen for burn injuries at a hospital emergency department. Young 12
adults from ages 20 to 29 had 1.4 times the risk of the general population, and adults ages 13
30 to 39 had 1.3 times the risk of the general population; and 14
WHEREAS, the primary causes of injury include fire -flame, scalds, contact with 15
hot objects, and electrical and chemical burns. Many injuries occur in the workplace; and 16
WHEREAS, National Burn Awareness Week, an init iative of the American Burn 17
Association, is a coming together of burn, fire, and life -safety educators to make the 18
public aware of the frequency, devastation, and causes of burn injury, as well as 19
consistent and authoritative measures to prevent these inju ries, and how to best care for 20
those that are injured; and 21
WHEREAS, the theme for 2026 National Burn Awareness Week is "Burn 22
Prevention Where You Live, Work, and Play – Preventing Burns in the Workplace," 23
where a common risk of injury exists from fire injury in the workplace; and 24
WHEREAS, today, 96.8% of those who suffer burn injuries will survive. 25
Unfortunately, many of those survivors will sustain serious scarring, life -long physical 26
disabilities, and adjustment difficulties; and 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1774
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XXXX 1/13/2026 2:43 PM Jacketed
WHEREAS, significant research and medical advances have dramatically improved 1
burn care and treatment, aided rehabilitation, shortened hospital stays, and increased burn 2
survival rates. Aftercare support for physical and emotional effects of burn injuries has 3
also played a key role in the successful reintegration of burn survivors into our 4
communities. Furthermore, burn safety education and prevention efforts continue to 5
reduce the number of people who suffer burns each year; and 6
WHEREAS, many people devote their lives and careers to treating, caring for, 7
supporting, and rehabilitating burn injury survivors, including those performing vital 8
work in burn research and development. There are dedicated firefighters who risk their 9
own lives every day to protect o thers, as well as burn foundations and other life -safety 10
professionals who promote burn injury awareness and prevention; and 11
WHEREAS, University of Louisville Hospital is home to the only dedicated adult 12
burn center in Kentucky, where a multidisciplinary t eam cares for approximately 350 13
patients annually; and 14
WHEREAS, University of Louisville Hospital's Burn Center offers holistic services 15
to assist patients and their families towards recovery, including trauma and plastic 16
surgeons, registered nurses, physical, speech, and occupational therapy, burn technicians, 17
social services, psychiatry, nutrition, addictive medicine, and chaplaincy service; 18
NOW, THEREFORE, 19
Be it resolved by the Senate of the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of 20
Kentucky: 21
Section 1. The Senate hereby designates February 1 to 7, 2026, as Burn 22
Awareness Week in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and recognizes the University of 23
Louisville Hospital's Burn Center. 24
Section 2. The Clerk of the Senate is directed to transmit a copy of this 25
Resolution to Senator Gerald A. Neal for delivery to University of Louisville Hospital's 26
Burn Center. 27