Fireworks are for entertainment purposes, but remember that they are not toys. This flammable and explosive material, combined with bravado, can cause a tragedy. They can cause burns, loss of hearing, vision, and death.
– If we do not handle fireworks properly, they can cause burns, loss of hearing, sight, and even death – emphasizes Brig. Paweł Frątczak, press spokesman of the State Fire Service.
Krzysztof Karwan, specialist in emergency medicine at the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw, emphasizes that in the event of improper use of fireworks (e.g. inconsistent with the instructions for use), when an unplanned explosion occurs, the hands and hands are most often injured.
– There may even be a traumatic amputation – emphasizes Dr. Karwan. – In an emergency, the patient must be transferred to a replantation center. Fortunately, such situations are very rare.
Take off your jewelry because it works like a headband
Burns are a common complication of the misuse of fireworks. It is important that we respond properly. When a second degree burn occurs, blisters with serous fluid appear.
– We should not pierce the blisters in any way, because the serous fluid naturally cools the wound and prevents infection from entering – emphasizes Paweł Wiktorzak, paramedic from the Military Institute of Medicine in Warsaw.
When a third degree burn occurs, the deep parts of the skin are burned.
– Then we should take off the jewelry – says Wiktorzak. – Jewelry can cause finger ischemia because it will act like a tourniquet.
In case of burns, you can use a hydrogel, which you can buy at a pharmacy.
– If we do not have such a gel, let’s use clean material taken from the first aid kit – says the paramedic. – Let’s make a sterile dressing out of it. It should not fit very tightly. It should be put on the cover. We can also use an ordinary bandage to protect the wound and go to the hospital.
The rescuer emphasizes that various types of foam dressings should not be used. Burn wounds should not be smeared with alcohol or ointments, because then they will heal longer.
Watch out for unexploded bombs!
When heavy bleeding occurs after a firework has exploded, the most important thing is to stop it by applying a pressure dressing.
– We must also remember that the means of the fuse should be put on the ground – reminds Frątczak. – Set them on fire, but don’t hold them in your hand. We must remember that any pyrotechnic product, if it does not explode despite its firing, must not be approached. This is known as an unexploded ordnance. We should wait about 15 minutes, pour water over it and then throw it into the trash.