In a fire, people are injured by burns, by breathing in smoke or while escaping. This lesson explains basic first aid. It does not replace a first-aid course, but it will help you act correctly in the first minutes.
Safety first
Before you help anyone:
- Make sure it is safe. Do not risk injuring yourself. Do not enter smoke-filled areas.
- Call for help on 155 (ambulance) or 112. Call even if you are in doubt, as the operator will guide you.
- Get the injured person out of danger. Lead or carry them out if you can do so safely, and only then give help.
Burns
A burn is caused by heat, fire, a hot liquid, steam, a corrosive substance or electricity. It is a serious injury even if it looks minor.
What to do
- Stop the heat. Put out clothing, lead the person away from the source.
- Cool the burn under a stream of cold (not icy) water for at least 10 minutes, preferably up to 20 minutes. Cooling eases the pain and limits tissue damage. Do not cool with ice.
- Take off rings, watches and tight clothing from the affected area before swelling develops. Do not pull off clothing stuck to the wound.
- Cover the wound with a clean, preferably sterile, non-stick dressing or with clean plastic film. Cover it loosely.
- Keep the person warm so that they do not get cold. People with extensive burns lose heat quickly.
What not to do
- Do not use ice, butter, oil, toothpaste, ointment or home remedies.
- Do not burst blisters.
- Do not remove parts of clothing that are stuck.
- Do not cool the whole body, or for longer than needed, in extensive burns. There is a risk of hypothermia.
When to call an ambulance (155 or 112)
- the burn is larger than the palm of the injured person's hand,
- it affects the face, neck, hands, genitals or a joint,
- the burn is deep (white, brown, black, without feeling),
- it was caused by a corrosive substance, electric current or an explosion,
- the injured person is a child, an elderly person or has trouble breathing,
- smoke has been inhaled.
Smoke inhalation
Smoke contains poisonous gases such as carbon monoxide. Symptoms may be delayed:
- coughing, hoarseness, singed nasal hair, a mouth soiled with soot,
- shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, nausea,
- confusion or loss of consciousness.
What to do
- Take the person out into fresh air. Do not enter the smoke-filled area yourself.
- Loosen tight clothing at the neck and chest and help them into a comfortable position (often sitting).
- Call 155 or 112, even if they seem all right. The damage can increase over several hours.
- Watch their consciousness and breathing, and wait for the paramedics.
Burning clothing
Put out burning clothing by having the person stop, lie down and roll, or by covering them with a blanket and smothering the fire. Then cool the burn with water, call an ambulance and cover the burns.
Electric shock
In a fire involving electrical equipment, or when a conductor falls, an electric shock may occur.
- Switch off the current first (circuit breaker, switch, pull out the plug). Do not touch the injured person while they are live.
- If you cannot switch off the current, push the person away from the source with a dry, non-flammable, non-conductive object, for example a wooden pole.
- Call 155 or 112. Even after an apparently minor shock, the heart may be at risk.
The person does not respond and is not breathing
If the person does not respond and is not breathing normally:
- Call 155 (or 112) and put the phone on speaker, or ask someone to call. The operator will guide you.
- Begin chest compressions: in the centre of the chest, on a hard surface, to a depth of about 5 to 6 cm, at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions a minute.
- If you know how, alternate 30 compressions and 2 breaths. If you do not know how or do not want to give mouth-to-mouth breaths, keep compressing the chest without a break.
- If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is nearby, use it. It guides you by voice.
- Carry on until the paramedics arrive or the person starts to come round.
Helping people who are in shock
After a fire, people are often in shock. Stay with them, speak calmly, do not leave them alone and do not force them to talk. Difficult experiences can be shared with the employer or a doctor.
First aid at work
The employer arranges first aid (Labour Code, § 102) and usually has a first-aid kit and a list of people who can give first aid. Find out where the first-aid kit is and who gives first aid at your workplace. If you are unsure, refresh your knowledge on a first-aid course. This course does not replace one.
Summary
- Safety first, then call 155 or 112.
- Cool a burn with cold (not icy) water for at least 10 minutes, cover it with a clean dressing, and use no ice or home remedies.
- After smoke inhalation, take the person into fresh air and call an ambulance.
- In electric shock, switch off the current first.
- If someone is not breathing, press on the chest and use an AED.