Not just a topic that affects a few at specific dates throughout the year
Bonfire night and the unfortunate and frightening events concerning acid attacks in London, 2017 saw a number of articles and stories being told via media speaking about how to act in an acid attack and also how to prevent accidents prior to Bonfire Night.
It is a terrible fact that burns happen every day all across the UK and the world where the most basic of first aid knowledge could have prevented pain, worsening of the injury and given the parent or carer clear and proven information that would have empowered them to act.
Burns take place when the skin is damaged because of a heat source. In first aid, we talk about burns and scalds. Here is a little information to help you understand the difference.
Scalds: Scalding is a form of thermal burn resulted from heated fluids such as boiling water or steam
Burn: A contact burn is caused by heat such as fire, hot surfaces, cold, electricity, chemicals, friction, or radiation.
The treatment is exactly the same however and involves something that most of us have access to without question. WATER. Lots of it.
There are some areas of the world where access to this life source is difficult to get and therefore there are limits to what some can do but there is absolutely no reason whatsoever for people in the developed world not to use this.
Imagine this:
A child has burned themselves. They are screaming and crying in pain. The parent is distraught. They are panicking but heard that water helps. They put the child’s burned limb under the tap but the child is still screaming, the parent doesn’t know what to do. They stop the cold water and try to placate the child. They think that the doctors would be best so they take the child to the doctors or even A & E.
ON THE WAY THERE, THE SKIN IS STILL BURNING! It’s now gone down a layer or two and a blister starts to form, the fluid-filled blister keeps the underlying skin clean, which prevents infection and promotes healing but it is an action from the body in times of desperation! The earlier treatment of water would have taken the heat out of the burn and perhaps prevented the further damage. If only the parent had kept the child under the cold for 10 – 15 minutes!!!
The most basic of information can make a massive difference to the lives of many. Training needs to be a basic human right.
We have a range of First Aid Courses to suit everybody.