Steps To Take To Care For The Victim

9/6/2024 (Permalink)

Fire damage at your business can extend to more than just the property; it can result in injury to your employees. No matter how careful everyone is, an accident will happen at some point. So, make sure your first aid kit is well-stocked for such a situation. The type of burn first aid that’s required depends on the seriousness of the injury.

Take these steps to care for the victim of a major burn until emergency personnel arrive:

1. Protect the Victim Until an ambulance arrives, it’s important to protect the injured person and make sure that they’re away from the source of the burn. If it’s an electrical burn, turn off the power source before going near the victim.

2. Check Victim’s Respiration The injured person needs to be checked for signs of breathing. Begin CPR if you don’t detect breathing. It would be helpful if all employees take a CPR class.

3. Remove Restrictive Items Burned areas will swell quickly. So, if there are any types of restrictive clothing or jewelry in the proximity of the burned areas, remove them.

4. Covering the Area very critical part of burn first aid is covering the injured area. A clean, cool, damp bandage or cloth will help to protect the injury from bacteria and debris from the fire damage until professional help arrives.

5. Don’t Immerse Wound Never immerse severely burned areas in water. This could cause more damage and even hypothermia. Body heat needs to be saved; a blanket should help if there’s a clean one available. A burn this severe shouldn’t be treated with ice, as you might with a minor burn.

6. Elevate Affected Area The burned area should be raised. It should be elevated above heart level until the professionals arrive, if possible.

7. Watch for Symptoms of Shock Beware of the warning signs of shock. Paleness, shallow breathing, and fainting are a few symptoms. A blanket will help to avoid shock.

Tracie "Dusty" Nichols

724-628-3022