A group of Australian parents have warned campers this long Easter weekend not to hide the heat by putting out bonfires with sand or earth.
Child CPR Extinguishing with earth or sand, these fires can remain in scorching temperatures for hours after the flames subside and cause severe burns to barefoot campers unsuspecting.
A post on the CPR Kids Facebook page suggested putting out fires with water before going to bed or leaving a site.
CPR Kids cautioned against using sand or earth to put out fires, as the flames can stay at 100°C for hours after they’ve gone out and can cause serious burns if stepped on.
“Sand-extinguishing fires can hold heat of up to 100 degrees Celsius for eight hours after the flames are no longer visible,” the message said.
Sand and dirt can hide glowing embers and residual heat, making it nearly impossible for adults and children walking in the area to be aware of this risk.
It must be filled with water to properly extinguish fires and feel fresh before leaving.
Child safety experts highlighted the dangers, citing a 2018 case in which six-year-old Kai Dight suffered horrific foot burns after stepping on an abandoned fire hidden in the sands of Queensland’s Sunshine Beach.
The boy was camping with his family in Noosa and was hospitalized when he entered the hot sand area, where he had to undergo multiple surgeries due to deep burns on the soles of his feet.
After the incident, Professor Roy Kimble, head of the burns division at Queensland Children’s Hospital, said 51 of the 64 children treated for burns from outdoor fires that year were caused by embers or ash rather than a flame.
“Just a second of contact with a campfire is all it takes to sustain very deep burns, but it can take months or even years in intensive care to reduce scarring and regain mobility in severely burned limbs,” he said.
Sand and dirt can hide glowing embers and residual heat, making it nearly impossible for adults and children walking in the area to be aware of this risk.
CPR Kids urged parents to be extremely vigilant and always supervise children around fires.
Sarah Hunstead, pediatric nurse and founder of CPR Kids, gave helpful advice on what to do if your child suffers from burns.
“When it comes to emergency burns, whatever the cause, first aid is the same,” CPR Kids said in a Facebook video.
The mother of two said the first thing to do is to remove all clothing, jewelry or diapers from around the burn, as long as they aren’t sticking to the skin.
Second, she told him to perform the burn under cold running water for 20 minutes and then loosely cover the burn with a clean, damp cloth, towel, or nonstick coating.
“Any burn in a child where the skin is damaged, i.e. the skin is peeling or blistering, should be seen by a doctor,” she explained.
Source: Daily Mail
