Fire show safety tips - treating burns

How to treat minor burns
Sometimes at a fireshow burns can happen, be it from fuels such as Paraffin from circus equipment or from hot embers from pyrotechnics and fireworks. It's always good to know what to do.
This is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here!
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 999 immediately.

To treat superficial (minor) burns at home or at a fireshow follow the advice below.

• Cool the skin using cool, or tepid, water for between 10-30 minutes, ideally within 20 minutes of the injury happening. This will prevent the burn getting worse.


• Do not use ice, iced water, creams, or greasy substances, such as butter to sooth the burn. A cool bath, or shower, will help to soothe the burn.


• Cover the burn using cling film, in a layer over the burn, rather than wrapping it around a limb. A clean, clear plastic bag is suitable to use for burns on your hand.
  
• If the burn is painful, taking a mild painkiller, such as paracetamol, or ibuprofen, can help. However, always check the packaging to make sure that you take the correct dosage.
  
• Do not interfere with the burn, or break any blisters. If the burn is very painful, or seems to be getting worse, call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47, or visit your GP for advice
  

Treating chemical burns
If a chemical, such as bleach, or acid, burn your skin, you should follow the advice below.

• Remove any chemicals from the skin by running the affected area under cool tap water for 20 minutes, or more. If the chemical involved is in powder form, such as lime, brush it off the skin before running the skin under water.


• Remove any jewellery, or clothing, that may have been exposed to the chemical.


• Apply a cool wet towel to help relieve pain.


• Cover the burnt skin with a dry, sterile dressing, or clean cloth.


• If you experience an increased sensation of burning, rewash the skin for several more minutes.

You should visit your local accident and emergency (A&E) department so that the burn can be assessed and, if necessary, treated. here at Juggletastic we always make a note of where the nearest A&E is before we start any fireshows or circus workshops
Severe head injury
A severe head injury, if not correctly treated, can cause serious damage to the brain. This type of head injury always requires urgent medical attention. The symptoms of a severe head injury can include the following.

• A lasting headache which worsens, or is still present over six hours following the injury.
  
• Extreme difficulty in staying awake, or still being sleepy several hours after the injury.
  
• Two or more bouts of vomiting.
  
• Unconsciousness, either for a short or extended period of time.
  
• Unequal pupil size.
  
• Straw coloured or blood stained fluid coming from the nose or ears. This is cerebrospinal fluid which normally surrounds the brain.
  
• Severe dizziness or loss of balance.
  
• Confusion or strange behaviour.
  
• Problems with memory.
  
• Bleeding from the scalp that cannot be quickly stopped.
  
• Not being able to use part of the body, such as weakness in an arm or leg.
  
• Difficulty seeing or double vision.
  
• Slurred speech.
  
• Unusual breathing patterns.
  
• Ringing or deafness in one or both ears.
  
• Having a seizure or fit (when your body suddenly moves uncontrollably).
  
  If any of these symptoms are present, particularly loss of consciousness (even for a short period of time), you should go to the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department of your local hospital or call 999 for an ambulance.
  Here is how pass all the details on quickly to 999 . Location,
  Remember LIONEL
  L - Location of Incident
  I - Incident Detail
  O - Other relevant information
  N - Number hurt/injured
  E - Extra detail descriptions of any offenders, nature or source of a fire, if the person has any ailments
  L - Location of Incident < Repeat >
  KNOWING THIS WILL SAVE LIVES
  Brought to you from your friends at JUGGLETASTIC
  WWW.JUGGLETASTIC.COM