AMBULANCE CREWS WARN OF FIREWORK DANGERS
Ambulance crews were called last year to four incidents across Sussex involving fireworks on November 5, 2004, including a nine-year old child who had suffered burns to her body when a firework exploded.
Although the numbers of those injured by fireworks has fallen during recent years, over the past five years 350 pre-school children across the UK, some as young as one year old, were treated in hospital for firework injuries.
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Hide AdThere are a number of sensible precautions that can be taken to avoid injuries:
* Don't drink alcohol if setting off fireworks
* Stand well back and keep others back
* Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
* Never go back to a lit firework
* Always supervise children
* Keep pets indoors
* Sparkers are unsuitable for children under five
* Put used sparklers hot end down into a bucket of sand or water
If you are injured by a firework:
* If you have suffered a burn, cool the area immediately with cold water and continue to do so for at least 10 minutes
* Do not put anything onto affected area including butter, ointments, cotton wool except a clean, wet dressing. If you do not have a dressing use a clean handkerchief, tea towel, pillowcase or sheet, etc. soaked in cold water
* If a blister forms, do not break it.
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Hide Ad* If the area affected is larger than the size of the patient's palm or the patient is displaying signs of shock, then seek urgent medical advice.
* If the burn is to the facial area, call 999.
For more information on firework safety, please log onto the Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) website at http://www.dti.gov.uk/fireworks/.