Acid Attack First Aid Tips And Tricks

How should you treat acid burns??

The most important thing you can do in the event of an acid attack is to douse the victim in running water, rather than use a wet cloth.

------ The water dilutes the acid, and so it's important to keep refreshing with new, clean water, as quickly as possible.




                               

------ The most important thing you can do in the event of an acid attack is douse the victim's wounds in fresh, running water for as long as possible
------ "If you see someone exposed to acid don't try and brush it off with your hands, or you'll end up burned yourself.

------"If the substance is in powder form just brush it off, using a piece of clothing to protect your skin."

------And it's not just acidic liquids that are used in attacks - very alkaline substances can be used too.

------ Call 911 or emergency services immediately. While you can provide some assistance to the victim, it’s critical to get professionals on the scene as soon as possible. Use your own phone to make the call and put it on the speaker. Or, ask another person to make the call and relay the information to the dispatcher.
                       For example, when speaking to emergency services you might say, “I’ve just witnessed                         an acid attack on a female victim.”

------  Rinse out an affected eye by holding it under running water. If acid gets into the eye, it can burn through the cornea and cause blindness. If you suspect that the victim’s eye has acid on it, have them bend their head downwards. Pour a stream of clean water over the eye for 20 minutes or as long as possible.


Campaign group Stop Acid Attacks advise people follow these guidelines, in the event they are victims of, or witness an acid attack:

\/ Immediately rinse the affected area with fresh water or saline (saltwater) solution - always make sure this source is uncontaminated
\/ Keep washing the burned body part with cool water until the pain begins to subside. This can take around 45 minutes
\/ Take off any clothes/jewellery that have made contact with the acid
\/ As tempting as it is to add cream to give some relief, this could affect the treatment prescribed by doctors
\/ If possible, loosely wrap the burn area in sterilised gauze, which helps prevent the wound from contamination
\/ After hospital treatment, patients are advised to stick to a strict aftercare regime - which includes changing dressings on a regular basis
\/ In serious cases, doctors may prescribe physiotherapy for victims whose nervous system has been affected by the burn
\/ Others will be offered skin grafts to help reduce symptoms and cosmetic signs of the attack
\/ As acid assaults are traumatic, patients may also be advised to seek counselling

What should you NOT do in the event of an acid attack?

------ You may think milk could act as a soothing remedy, in the event of an acid burn, but experts advise it's a bad idea.

------ Milk is generally alkaline, though as it goes off it becomes more acidic.

------When alkaline milk comes into contact with acid it will cause an exothermic reaction, which creates more heat and can do more damage.

------Plus, milk could increase the risk of infection.
       So, always, always stick to running water - and lots of it.

Tips

It’s best to leave the burn wounds open prior to a victim receiving medical attention. But, if you need to cover them, use a non-fibrous fabric or a plastic cling film.

Warnings

Unless you have specialized training in treating this kind of trauma, don't try to neutralize the acid with anything other than water.

Don’t put any lotion or cream on to the injured areas. This will only make it more difficult for emergency professionals and doctors to treat the wounds.