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First aid after a Fire: This is what you should know!

21. September 2021 admin

In Switzerland, there are about 20,000 fires every year. Among them, there are about 200 people who lose their lives. How can you help in an emergency? With the help of the guide of First Aid after a fire you can save people’s lives. 

Under which circumstances can a fire occur?  

Basically, it can happen at any time that a fire suddenly breaks out. There are sparks from an old multiple socket, while cooking the kitchen suddenly catches fire or even the deliberate setting of a fire. There are many different causes that can lead to a fire. In case of a developing fire it is important to stay calm and not to panic.

In the case of a fire, burns can occur mainly on the body. A distinction can be made between minor and severe burns. But not only burns on the body can occur in a fire. Burning of various objects, such as furniture or electrical appliances, can also lead to poisoning. The harmful gases produced by the fire can cause severe damage if inhaled.   

What should I do after a fire? 

If a fire breaks out in your home, you should remain calm in any case. If it is possible for you, you can first try to extinguish the fire yourself. However, you should never put yourself in danger. If the fire is too strong, you should leave the room. If possible, close the windows and the door before leaving the room. This will prevent the fire from spreading to other rooms as quickly. If possible, it is advisable to place a damp towel at the bottom of the door. This makes it harder for toxic gases and smoke to reach other rooms.

Afterwards, you should leave the house or apartment as quickly as possible. In doing so, you must evacuate other people in the house or apartment. There should be no one left in the building. Alert people by knocking on the door, the house bell or by telephone. If there is an elevator in the building, avoid it at all costs. In case of fire, always use the stairs to escape.

If you have not yet dialed the emergency number, you should do so now at the latest. You can reach the fire department in Switzerland via 118 . But you can also call for help via the European standardized emergency number 112 . Learn more about the emergency numbers in Switzerland. Then wait until the fire department arrives. They will talk to you and try to get an idea of the danger situation. As much information as possible is helpful.

Giving First Aid: Instructions

What to do if you find a person? If this is the case, you should not ignore the person in any case. Nevertheless, you should weigh your own safety. In an emergency, your own safety always comes first. If you do not put yourself in danger, you should administer first aid.

Follow these instructions:

Check the consciousness of the victim. If the victim is conscious, skip to point 2. If the victim is not conscious, skip to point 5. 
Try to calm the victim and check the person for possible injuries on the body.
If the clothing is still burning, immediately extinguish the fire.
Then look for possible burns or injuries on the body. You can learn how to act in case of burns on the body right here.  
If the person is not conscious and there is no pulse, you should immediately initiate resuscitation measures. You can find detailed instructions here.

Important: For first aid measures during a fire, you should first remove yourself and the affected person from the hazardous situation. In the safe environment, you can then initiate all important first aid steps after a fire.

Psychological care

A fire with severe consequences can also be very stressful for the psyche. If you yourself or others need psychological care, you can always turn to the pastoral care service.  

Avoid and prevent fire

In the best case scenario, there should be no fire that can lead to an apartment fire. Therefore, one should avoid possible sources of danger in the apartment or house. Old electrical appliances, leaking cables or similar. One should take the time to inspect the house or apartment for possible sources of danger. In addition, it is also useful to have your own fire extinguisher for emergencies. This way you are also well equipped for a possible fire in the household.   

Smoke detectors save lives

While in Germany it is mandatory to install smoke detectors in the home, this is not yet the case in Switzerland. Smoke detectors can provide a timely warning of a developing fire in various rooms. Especially in bedrooms and children’s rooms, smoke detectors can be a great help. This is because many fire victims die due to suffocation in their sleep.

Nowadays, small smoke detectors for the apartment are not really expensive and very easy to install. Only the batteries must be replaced after some time, so that you can guarantee the functioning of the smoke detectors. Even if there is no obligation to install smoke detectors in Switzerland yet, we recommend you install smoke detectors in the apartment.  

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Sources and further links:

http://wersto.ch/.cm4all/mediadb/Brandstatistik%20der%20Schweiz.pdf
https://www.malteser.de/aware/hilfreich/achtung-feuer-wie-du-richtig-reagierst-wenn-es-brennt.html