Prevention projects

Beware of hot tea
In May 2006, the campaign ‘Verbrandingen' (Burns) was launched. This campaign was carried out in conjunction with the Dutch Consumer Safety Foundation. Radio and television spots, an information brochure and filler advertisements alerted persons to the dangers of accidents with hot tea. To support the campaign, presentations to doctors and nurses are given at counselling centres that cooperated in the campaign.
The campaign is mainly focused on ‘awareness' of the problem. Research shows that parents underestimate the risks and the severity of the consequences of burns.

Keep barbecuing safe!
Keep barbecuing safe! is the message of the national campaign which is repeated annually in the summer and started in June 2006. Special attention goes to drawing attention to ‘safe lighting' with firelighters.
Radio spots, advertisements and advertorials referred to the special action web site with tips: www.barbecueveilig.nl. In addition, ‘safe barbecuing check lists' are distributed through butcher shops and places where barbecue are sold, such as garden centres and DIY businesses. There is also cooperation with the suppliers of barbecues and firelighters. All barbecues by the Weber company (market leader) and various packaging of firelighters carry stickers with the following prevention tips: ‘Never use white spirit to light a barbecue', ‘Keep a bucket of water within reach' en ‘Keep children at a safe distance'.

Do the Interpolis Prevention check!
In the spring of 2006, insurance company Interpolis started offering free checks of homes for risk-full situations, the so-called Interpolis prevention checks. Staff of the prevention program were involved in advance in formulating the Prevention Check brochure and in training the inspectors who carry out the prevention checks.

Light fireworks safely
In the fall of 2006, it became known that the legislation for the sales of fireworks was going to be amended drastically. That is why a poster campaign was started around safe lighting of fireworks. At almost 70% of the firework sales locations, information is given about how to light fireworks in a controllable manner.
In addition to these activities, the Foundation also cooperates with the national information campaign carried out by the Dutch Consumer Safety Foundation. This year, the tips for the safe lighting of fireworks were targeted at the group between 12 and 20 years old, by use of an innovative multimedia campaign. The campaign reached over 83% of the target group.

Advisers are giving more information
The advisers of the Prevention Program annually organize information meetings regarding prevention of burns, and first aid. The number of information meetings has increased during the past two years. From this year on, almost 25% of the information is especially aimed at the parents of young children. Specific presentations have been developed for various target groups. The presentations are given on site and are usually free.

Lobby
The Ministry of VROM suggested in 2006 to lower the maintenance frequency of fire extinguishing equipment, from once a year to once per two or three years. This would lead to a decrease in fire safety. In conjunction with the trade association VEBON (association of fire safety entrepreneurs), a proactive lobby was started. The Ministry subsequently postponed its decision. The progress of the decision process is closely monitored.

In order to achieve a different decision by the Minister, the Burns Foundation set out on a new path: Political lobbying. As of 2006, the Foundation came into action against the proposed decision in public as well as behind the scenes. Letters were sent, press releases distributed and there was contact with the House of Representatives and the Ministry. Successfully! In response to our activities, Minister Ella Vogelaar decided to hold off on her plan to have fire extinguishers checked less frequently. She informed the House of Representatives accordingly on 18 January 2008.

The Burns Foundation also responded to a plan of the Ministry of VROM to cancel parts of the current policy regarding use permit concerning fire safety at businesses. Notably, the effect of this amendment on the fire safety in the hospitality sector was worrisome.

Owing to active lobbying by the Burns Foundation, in cooperation with the Dutch society of the hearing-impaired, deaf and hearing-impaired persons can now count on reimbursement of the costs for special (very expensive) smoke alarms for the deaf and hearing-impaired. By means of a test case in court, the judge confirmed that the smoke alarms must be paid for by insurance companies from now on (within certain conditions).

Attention to rules for first aid
Together with the ‘Oranje Kruis' (National Federation for Life-Saving and First-Aid), a special first aid card was published and disseminated through play groups and childcare facilities. In consultation with the Oranje Kruis, the organization that publishes first aid training manuals, adapted at all its training manuals, leaflets and other publications to the newest rules of the Burn Centres and the Burns Foundation.

Information for persons of Turkish and Moroccan origin
Trained ethnic educators were used, in the areas Amsterdam and The Hague, within the framework of a project to reach the parents of Turkish and Moroccan children. These information officers provided 40 information meetings for groups of Turkish and Moroccan parents, in which prevention of burns and first aid took centre stage. Advisers of the prevention program on average arrange 50 information meetings for ethnic groups.

Safety products
In October 2006 and 2007, our collectors distributed more than 4,000,000 cards with information on smoke alarms and the possibility to order. This action was a component of the 'smoke alarm' campaign in the fire prevention week. Over 15,500 smoke alarms were ordered and delivered to new donors, through the Burns Foundation.

Web shop
To promote the sales of safety products, a web shop was started in 2007. Smoke alarms, fire blankets and fire safety ladders can now be ordered very easily and at attractive prices. Collectors and donors received a discount of 20%!

Fire Prevention Week
In 2006, the Burns Foundation took over the executive secretariat of the foundation National Fire Prevention Week from the NIFV (Dutch Institute for Physical Safety - previously Nibra). For 2006 and 2007, this was translated into the development of a large-scale smoke alarm campaign for the Fire Prevention Week (October 2006). The campaign used radio and TV commercials, advertisements, brochures, its own web site (www.NationaleRookmelderdag.nl) and a lot of free publicity. In addition, hundreds of fire brigades supported the campaign by means of all sorts of local information activities. In October 2008, the third part of this campaign will take place.