December 8, 1988
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
At least 2 million people in the United States receive burn injuries each year. Seventy thousand of them require some hospitalization, and more than 12,000 die from their injuries. Children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are often burn victims.
The risk of burn injury exists in our homes, cars, and workplaces. The key to reduction of death and suffering from burn injury is available to everyone; awareness is the action word. Burn awareness is how people can prevent injury to themselves, their families, and their neighbors. The use of fire/smoke detectors and safety containers for flammables, the safe use of electric power, and development of good safety habits can reduce the number of injuries.
In recent years, medical research has made major advances through improved treatments that shorten hospitalization and save lives. New products are available for fire detection, safer fabrics, and personal protection. There are organized safety programs in the office and workplace. There is more assistance to ease the psychological impact on those who suffer burn injury.
Much more can be done to make ourselves safe from burn injury. We can all cooperate with the dedicated professionals who are working to prevent burns and care for the injured. And we can all practice and promote fire safety.
The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 604, has designated February 5 through February 11, 1989, as ``National Burn Awareness Week'' and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.
Now, Therefore, I, Ronald Reagan, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim February 5 through February 11, 1989, as National Burn Awareness Week. I call upon all government agencies, health organizations, public safety organizations, the communications media, and the people of the United States to observe this week with ceremonies, activities, and personal participation to make our country safer and to assist in the reduction of death and suffering associated with burn injury.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirteenth.
Ronald Reagan
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 2:55 p.m., December 9, 1988]