We are two days away from celebrating the Fourth of July, a celebration of freedom that Americans throughout the U.S. enjoy. But it can be a dangerous holiday. Every year, thousands of fireworks victims keep hospitals very busy. Fireworks not only have the possibility of injuring users, but 40 percent of fireworks mishaps also injure bystanders.
Alison Pauley, RN, assistant manager of the Burn Treatment Center at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, talks about burns from fireworks:
Who is most likely to suffer burns from fireworks?
Most commonly, we see adults who are playing with fireworks or other explosives who've been under the influence of drugs or alcohol and have slow reaction time or dulled senses.
What types of injuries do you see in the Burn Treatment Center with regard to fireworks?
Most commonly we see smaller injuries, such as just a hand burn in the young to middle-aged adult group. But quite honestly, depending on what the person was doing or what happened at the time of the incident, it can become much larger.
How quickly can a significant burn occur, especially to a child?
Within seconds, children have much thinner skin than adults, so the contact time necessary to cause the same burn is much less.
What is the difference between a minor burn and a major burn?
Minor burns are usually first to second degree and do not involve the face, hands, feet, groin, or over a major joint, and they can usually be treated at home, although I wouldn't necessarily recommend Grandma's butter. Major injuries are any second degree burn to those areas I already listed, as well as any third degree burn to any part of the body, and those require treatment and evaluation at a burn center.
Do all burns need to be treated in an emergency room?
No, but a good rule of thumb that we recommend is any burn larger than the person's palm, not including your fingers; or an area that's more than just reddened skin, for example if blistering occurs or something worse; the patient should probably seek medical attention either at their local doctor or within an ER. Those health care professionals can help determine if they need to be sent to us for further treatment.
You probably get the worst case scenario, is there such a thing as a standard treatment for a burn or is each case different?
I think everybody's different, it just depends on the person's health condition, age, the mechanism of injury. Lots of factors go into how we treat patients.
If someone witnesses a burn incident that appears major, what steps should that person take until emergency medical assistance arrives?
First and foremost, you want to stop the burning process and then call for help, so Stop, Drop, and Roll; get the water hose and hose them down. You do not want to apply ice to the burn, it can cause further injury; cover the patient with a dry sheet or towel, or sometimes even plastic wrap to keep the air away from their wound.
My guess is, and I'm probably falling into the majority of people, I would think immediately a cold compress. You're saying that's not the best way to go?
For larger injuries, you don't want to do that because the patient's temperature can drop too fast and we want to avoid hypothermia with these patients. So basically keep it dry, keep it isolated.
What's your advice for people who want to light firecrackers, sparklers, or other fireworks?
Definitely avoid alcohol or other substances that can impair your judgment. And please supervise children at all times. My advice is to find other choices for children's entertainment, such as bubble wrap or the paper poppers that you can give you the same noise and affect. |
