National Burns Awareness Month 2025
06 Jun 2025
Six weeks ago, while burning off some green waste on his property, Jody Fassina made a split decision that he immediately regretted.
“I would describe myself as exhibit A of not what to do – I stupidly used petrol to throw on the fire which subsequently bounced back onto the lower half of my leg which was a synthetic tracksuit pant which went up in flames.”
Jody sustained a large burn along his entire leg and had a skin graft three weeks after – sending a warning to anyone considering using accelerants on fires.
“I can honestly say it was the most painful experience I’ve ever had, and I strongly recommend to anybody out there, never ever use fuel as an accelerant on a fire because you can end up like me,” Jody said.
This is one of the messages for National Burns Awareness Month (June) – an important time to understand how to prevent burn injuries and apply effective first aid with a particular focus on outdoor burns.
Kate Booth was also burning off green waste on her rural property when she went to check on the fire – assuming that it was fully extinguished.
“I went out in crocs so when I got to the fire, I decided it was extinguished and this is where my judgment failed, I stepped into the fire and my foot sunk into really hot ash.
“Crocs don’t melt so that was one positive, but it meant that I had serious burns on the top of my right foot that extended over my toes.”
Kate quickly followed the recommended first aid advice when it comes to sustaining burns.
“One thing I did right is that I had water at hand, so I was able to immediately flick my crocs and the ash off and put running water straight onto the burn and then move to a water tank and then into the house to keep that cold running water,” Kate said.
“First aid for burns includes removing yourself from danger, removing clothing and jewellery, placing the burn under cool, gently running water for at least 20 minutes, covering the burn with a clean dressing or towel (do not use ointments or ice) and seeking medical attention through your GP or Urgent Care Clinic (UCC). For larger, more serious injuries, call Triple (000) or present to your nearest emergency department immediately,” Nurse Practitioner from the Tasmanian Burns Unit, Rebecca Schrale, said.
“In the past five years, the Tasmanian Burns Unit has seen a rise in outdoor fire burns caused by flames, hot metal and coals from campfires, fire pits and bonfires – take action by ensuring the fire is contained and away from flammable objects (including branches and shrubs), never use petrol and other accelerants, wear enclosed shoes, always supervise children, “Soak it, Stir it, and Soak it again” when extinguishing outdoor fires with water and never leave fires unattended when you leave or go to sleep.
“We also recommend avoiding hot water bottles but if you do, follow the recommended guidelines which include never using boiling water to fill them, and avoiding using them with children, older people and those that have reduced sensation or circulation,” Rebecca said.
Jenny Branch-Allen, CEO of Kidsafe Tasmania, said that the risk of burns increases during winter.
“We use different sources of heat to keep warm and unfortunately, those burns can cause significant injuries, hospital admission, skin grafting and permanent scaring.
“Common causes of serious burns during winter include contact with wood heaters, house fires, hot liquids (tea, coffee, noodles, oil etc.), and hot water bottles – using a fixed fire screen around wood heaters, keeping hot items and liquids away from the edges of surfaces and out of reach from children, and having working smoke alarms in your home can reduce the risk of burns,” Jenny said.
More information can be found here: