4th of July safety tips from Seattle Red Cross

The Seattle Red Cross has safety tips to reduce your and your family’s risk of suffering burns this holiday weekend:

“While celebrating Independence Day, burns — superficial or first degree — can result from partaking in any of these celebratory activities; so the American Red Cross offers the following tips to keep this holiday safe and fun-filled:

• Make sure that exposed skin is covered with an appropriate sun block before heading out to the parade, family picnic or other outdoor activity.
• Keep small children a safe distance from hot barbecue grills and outdoor fireplaces.
• Never let children hold lit fireworks. Even sparklers can be dangerous for young children.
• Plan to attend a professional fireworks display instead of creating your own.
• Whether received from cooking at the grill or being careless with fireworks, burns should be treated immediately.
• Stop the burning. Put out the flames or remove the victim from the source of the burn. For example, you may have to put out flames that have caught on to clothing.
• Cool the burn. Use large amounts of water to cool the burned area. DO NOT use ice or ice water other than on small superficial burns; ice causes loss of body heat. Use whatever resources are available — tub, shower or garden hose. You can apply soaked towels, sheets or other wet cloths to a burned face or other areas that cannot be immersed. Be sure to keep cloths cool by adding more water.
• ·Cover the burn. Use dry, sterile dressings or a clean cloth to cover a burn. Loosely bandage them in place. Covering the burn helps keep air out and reduces pain. Covering the burn also prevents infection. If the burn covers a large area of the body, cover it with clean, dry sheets or other cloth.
• For minor burns and burns with open blisters that do not require medical care, wash the areas with soap and water. Keep it clean. Put on an antibiotic ointment (available from any drug store). Watch for signals of infection.
• Critical burns need immediate medical attention. Call 9-1-1 if a burn victim is having difficulty breathing; more than one part of the body is burned; burns are on the head, neck, hands, feet or genitals; a child or an elderly person has been burned; or chemicals, electricity or explosions have caused burns.

To learn more:

• The American Red Cross offers many training sessions in First Aid and CPR. For First Aid and CPR classes in King County, please call (206) 726-3534 or visit our web site at www.seattleredcross.org.
• In Kitsap County please call the West Sound Service Center at (360) 377-3761.
• For more information on Red Cross Chapters in Washington State please go to www.redcrosswashington.org.
• The American Red Cross also has First Aid kits and other products to help prepare for almost any emergency available for purchase online at www.seattleredcross.org.
• The American Red Cross is a non-profit, humanitarian agency dedicated to helping make families and communities safer at home and around the world. For more information, visit www.seattleredcross.org.