AMBULANCE CREWS WARN OF FIREWORK DANGERS

Sussex Ambulance Service is once again warning residents and visitors to Sussex to be safe this year on Bonfire Night, following a number of accidents last year involving burns caused by fireworks.

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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There 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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* 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/.

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