The best way to treat a burn at home is to immediately place the burned area under cool running water, says nurse Tamara Roberts, the burn program manager for Upstate University Hospital's Clark Burn Center. She cautions not to use ice or ice water, since extreme cold can help a burn progress. Some burns require medical treatment, including severe burns to the hands or feet, any burns that result in dark red and painful areas or open blisters, or burns that are white in color, a sign of a third-degree burn. Roberts explains the types of care provided at the burn center, which last year treated 308 patients. The six-bed specialized unit serves people from more than 40 Central and Upstate New York counties. Click here for a burn safety checklist and here for information about the burn survivors' support group.