The University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery and the UAB Burn Center celebrated Tuesday, February 8 after Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin signed a proclamation declaring the week of February 6 – 12 Burn Awareness Week.

UAB recognizes National Burn Awareness Week, an initiative of the American Burn Association that is held every year during the first full week of February. The purpose of the week is to raise awareness in the community about burns and share burn prevention tips in the goal of having less people be affected by serious and sometimes life-threatening burn injuries. The UAB Burn Center, a nationally recognized leader in the treatment of burns, offers highly specialized care to patients across Alabama and treats 450-600 burn patients a year.

A team from UAB worked with Birmingham City Councilor and President Pro Tem Crystal Smitherman to get the resolution through the council and to the Mayor’s office.

Mayor Woodfin read part of the proclamation at the city council meeting, emphasizing that burn injuries continue to be one of the leading causes of accident death and injury in the country, and that although 96.8% of those who suffer burn injuries will survive, many of those survivors will sustain serious scarring, life-long physical disabilities, and adjustment difficulties.

A group representing UAB met at Birmingham City Hall Tuesday for the presentation and signing of the proclamation: James Hwang, M.D., UAB Burn Center Director; Josette Cockrell, UAB Burn Program Manager; Jared Morrison, a surgical physician assistant; Allie Hulcher, communications specialist; David Hoefflicker, burn survivor and founder of the burn survivor support group at UAB; and his wife Christina Hoefflicker.

“What we really hope is that this brings attention to this important issue and helps prevent these accidents by educating the good people of Birmingham,” Hwang said in his remarks to the city council.

The 2022 focus of Burn Awareness Week is kitchen-related burns. Read the story of one burn survivor and UAB patient who had serious injuries, and an impressive recovery, after a cooking-related accident as well as tips to prevent cooking burns and how to handle a kitchen fire if you encounter one.