A safety video for kids

Hobart-based children’s entertainers The Scallywags have performed in a video called Learning About Burning using information provided by the Burn Unit focusing on safety in the home, wood heater burns prevention and Burns First Aid.

The key messages are to always use a fixed fire screen around heaters and fires and keep two meters from the heater. Ensure working smoke alarms are installed and if you do sustain a burn, remember to cool the burn under running water for 20 minutes, no ice or ointments, cover the burn and seek medical attention.

Click here to watch the video.

The video has been launched by the Tasmanian Burns Unit, Royal Hobart Hospital, Kidsafe Tasmania and ExitLeft - their representatives are shown in the photo below with the performers. Click here to see a performance by the Scallywags at the launch.

This performance by the Scallywags added another milestone to their already impressive repertoire of presenting material aimed at reinforcing safe behaviours for children. The Scallywags are part of the local performing-arts school, ExitLeft, and have been entertaining Tasmanian children since 2006.

Mr Ian Williams, Principal of ExitLeft, said The Scallywags productions focus on safety and behavioural issues for children in several scenarios including water safety, farm safety and road safety. “So, we were thrilled when Bec Schrale, the Burns Clinical Nurse Consultant at the Tasmanian Burns Unit, Royal Hobart Hospital suggested The Scallywags may be useful in alerting children to the many dangers that can result in serious burns,” Mr Williams said.

“The Scallywags’ creator and scriptwriter, Daryl Peebles, wrote the script and song called Learning About Burning using information provided by the Burn Unit focusing on safety in the home, wood heater burns prevention and Burns First Aid. “The Scallywags first performed Learning About Burning for a national conference of the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association in Hobart in October 2019.

“This performance received favourable feedback from the conference delegates so, with the support of the Burns Unit and Kidsafe Tasmania, the decision was made to produce a video of Learning About Burning with the current Scallywag performers, Holly Horne, Sarah Wright and Thomas Pearshouse,” he said.

Bec Schrale approached Kidsafe Tasmania to be the main funder of the project and CEO Jenny Branch-Allen said it was great to be involved in such an amazing project.

“The video will ensure these important messages can reach even more children, both here and abroad,” Mr Williams said.

The Burns Unit and Kidsafe would like to remind all Tasmanians that burn injuries are preventable.