Paramedic issues warning about garden hoses every parent should know – and her 60-second rule
An Australian mother and paramedic has issued a stern warning about the danger of garden hoses during summer and her 60-second rule.
Nikki Jurcutz, a former paramedic from Victoria, explained how the water in a garden hose can reach between 55 and 60 degrees Celsius without walking in the sun.
With this in mind, it is essential to let the water run for at least a minute to ensure it is cool enough to sprinkle over children or pets for relief from the summer heat.
Nikki shared one video to the Tiny Hearts Education Instagram page and showed how hot the water can get quickly.
“So this is your reminder: If you are outside with your little ones and plan to use the sprinkler or hose to cool off, let the water run over the grass for 60 seconds or until the water is cold before you put it on anyone.” squirt,” she warned.
Mother of two Nikki Jurcutz (pictured), found from Tiny Hearts Education, recommended running the garden hose for at least 60 seconds before using the sprinkler to cool off in the summer
Nikki shared a video on the Tiny Hearts Education Instagram page showing how hot the water can quickly get: 47.9 degrees Celsius (right)
In the short clip, Nikki also included a disturbing image of American boy Nicholas Woodger, who suffered painful burns to 30 percent of his body as a result of the scorching hose water.
Dominique Woodger was about to fill a children's pool with water in 2016 and when she turned on the tap, hot water spewed from the sprinkler head attached to the hose and hit her son who was sitting nearby.
On that particular day in Phoenix, temperatures outside reached 110 degrees Fahrenheit (42 degrees Celsius), according to KNXV.
Nikki advised calling 000 if a child suffers a burn that is larger than 3cm, is on the face, throat, genitals, hands or airways, or is deep and blistering.
Parents should also cool the burn with cold running water for 20 minutes while they wait for paramedics to arrive.
In the short clip, Nikki also included a disturbing image of American boy Nicholas Woodger suffering painful burns to 30 percent of his body from the scorching hose water.
The video has since been viewed more than 714,000 times in 48 hours, with most parents thanking Nikki for sharing the memory.
'This is one of my biggest concerns. Even our indoor taps come on when you run them cold here in Brisbane, so we told the kids to let the tap run for a while and then quickly test it with their arm after it's been running for a while!' wrote one mother.
'Also do this before you spray the dogs! They always run towards it so keep it low to the grass while it cools down,” said another.
Taking no chances, a third mother revealed the next step she took to protect her children.
“We have also replaced all our outdoor taps so that the handle comes loose to prevent the children from turning on the water themselves,” she said.
But others saw the advice as “common sense.”
“Always test the water on yourself before your toddler,” one person wrote.
'If you live in Australia, this should be common knowledge! Everyone knows when it's hot: don't walk on the sand with bare feet!' said another.