Learn or burn - campfire safety
campfire; camp; fire; burn; burns; bans; first; aid; burns;
Contents
Kicking a bit of dirt or sand on the fire to put it out isn't smart, because underneath it stays hot for more than eight hours. If you or your kids later touch the dirt-covered fire for just a second, it can still be extremely hot and it will burn skin!
Be smart: only put your campfire out with water. In ten minutes, it cools below 50 degrees and in eight hours it's harmless.
Emergency aid for burns
Stop Drop and Roll.
Extinguish areas with water if still on fire.
Remove clothing unless stuck/melted.
Apply cold water:
- Immediately run cool water over the affected area for about 20 minutes.
- Cooling the burn is very important as it prevents the heat from burning into the skin’s deeper layers.
- NEVER USE ICE.
Remove anything tight: such as jewellery, bracelets, etc. Burns quickly cause the skin and tissue underneath to swell.
Cover the burn
After cooling the burn for 20 minutes, cover the burn. If the burn is on the face, cover it with a clean, damp cotton cloth. If the burn is on any other part of the body, cover it loosely with clean plastic cling wrap.
NEVER use butter, oils, toothpaste, creams or ointments to cover the burn. These may hold in the heat and cause further damage to the skin.
Go to your doctor or hospital
Go to your doctor or hospital if the skin is broken or if you are concerned. Infection may change a superficial burn into a deep burn.
Safe campfires
Firefighters say there are seven basic rules for building a safe campfire:
- Fires should be lit in cleared areas, where there are no overhanging branches and minimal grass and scrub.
- Ensure the campfire is a safe distance from tents, and that any other camping equipment is stored well away from it – especially flammable items such as gas cylinders, fuel cans etc.
- Where possible use a fireplace such as a barbeque pit, or build a surround out of large rocks.
- Never use any kind of flammable liquid on a fire – even when you are trying to get it started.
- Have a bucket of water and a shovel nearby.
- Put your campfire out with water when you have finished with it.
- Key point: put out your campfires with a good amount of water, not sand or dirt!
Fire bans
Remember: regulations surrounding campfires are in place during the fire danger season, and on a day of total fire ban it's illegal to have a campfire unless you hold a permit.
Resources
Australia
- Red Alert! is a collection of digital stories from young people in Queensland. The stories talk about personal experiences of cyclones, bushfires, severe storms and floods. They also give helpful tips on what to do in the event of a disaster in your town:
http://www.emergency.qld.gov.au/redalert.asp
This campaign
- is being funded by the Australian Professional Firefighters Charity Foundation, and is in line with their mandate which is to raise funds to prevent burn injuries.
- is an initiative of Burns SA which is a collaboration between Central Northern Adelaide Health Service and Children, Youth and Women's Health Service.
The information on this site should not be used as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see a doctor, or ring the Youth Healthline on 1300 13 17 19 (local call cost from anywhere in South Australia).