Awareness and First Aid

South Africans love to braai, but fire safety and burn prevention should always be top of mind, says Brian Allchin, ER24 Branch Manager Pretoria and Midstream.

Safe supervision

  • Never let a child start a gas, charcoal or wood braai, or fire without adult supervision
  • Don’t allow children to play near any type of fire
  • Choose a smooth, flat spot away from tents, fences, trees, and overhanging plants that can catch alight
  • Never leave a lit braai or fire unattended.

Light your fire safely

  • Be patient – using accelerants like petrol, oil, or paraffin to speed up the firing process is dangerous
  • Stick to briquettes or firelighters
  • Ensure the wind is blowing away from you when you light the fire
  • Fires can quickly spread out of control – keep a fire extinguisher, bucket of water or sand to douse the flames if necessary.

Burn prevention

If you’re wearing a long-sleeved shirt, roll your sleeves up when lighting a fire. If your clothing does catch fire from a rogue spark, here’s the quickest and best way to extinguish the flames:

  • Stop what you’re doing and drop to the ground while covering your face
  • Roll over and over until the flames go out
  • Don’t run, as this will only make the fire burn faster.

How to treat burns

Do

  • Run tap water or room-temperature water over the burn for up to 20 minutes
  • Try to elevate affected limbs to decrease swelling
  • Apply a loose, clean, dry cloth or bandage to the burned area after it has cooled
  • Seek emergency medical care.

Don’t

  • Remove burned clothing that is stuck to the body
  • Use very cold water, ice or frozen products on the burn
  • Apply ointments, jellies, or sprays to severe burns
  • Use home remedies like coffee, butter, toothpaste or milk
  • Burst any blisters.

Remember that even a minor thermal burn has the potential for infection and scarring. Serious burn wounds need to be treated by a medical professional as soon as possible.

Prevent carbon monoxide poisoning

  • Always braai in an open area
  • Avoid taking smouldering or lit coal indoors, or inside a tent – they emit fumes even after use
  • Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and breathlessness

If you think someone has carbon monoxide poisoning, remove them from the source and call 084 124 for real help, real fast.