To not know wtf to do if witnessing an acid attack?!

[Lwrenn]

Another day, another shit thread title, sorry.

Today I've made my Google history more grim than usual by finding out a bit more than I knew about acid attacks since the attack on the poor family just hit the news.
It occurred to me I know what to do if there is a shooting/stabbing or fire burn, but not large scale chemical burns and sadly it seems that the rates of acid being used to harm and disfigure people isn't slowing down.

I'd be happy for any medical professionals to point me into any more information but I found the main advice (I had planned to link it but my phone is being somewhat arsey with me) was to wash as much of the chemical away as possible, using water, milk or cola if that is all there is to hand.

I couldn't find if it's best to remove the victims clothes but I presume getting acid off of them would dictate removing their clothes, I've read stories that people have needed hair shaving instantly to stop the burning. (Not suggesting anyone starts stripping and shaving victims, I'm just hoping someone will have more answers!) So if you have information on that I'd appreciate it.

I'm hoping that buying corossive substances become more difficult, that acid attacks sentencing carries a life sentence and is tried as attempted murder, I'm hoping that there is going to be medical advice handed out by the government and NHS what to do if you're victim of or witness an attack.

I'm aware there is a go fund me set up for the family of this heinous, cowardly attack online, and I'll chuck into that what I can for the family, but I think now that this is such a terrible way forward for women to be abused, we do need as the public, more training in this.

Ideally, we'd just tell men to not acid attack us, but like we ask them to not hit us, rape us, murder us, doesn't always make a massive amount of difference.

Either way, it's one of the scariest most abhorrent, cowardly crimes and I hope nobody ever experiences it ever again, but equally, because they will, I hope we're taught what to do in this case.

I could be wrong but I assume in some products it is diluted which may mitigate how initially damaging it is in contact with skin. I’ve never been particularly cautious around drain or oven cleaners & have never damaged my skin.

So just the fact there’s no barrier to purchase it raw and undiluted (ie with maximum burn potential - it can even dissolve bones) for as low as £5 is shocking.

One detail from the Clapham attack is that the fire service also attended, and I think they're frequently called to chemical incidents.

This thread has got me wondering if it's because they have large bowsers of water, can open hydrants and have protective clothing

Very possibly. Plus the area has to be made safe again once the victims are treated, and I suspect that doesn't come under the purview of either police or ambulance.

I would reiterate - water is the priority. You get as much water as you can get your hands on and keep pouring. If it's in public, shout for any passers by who may have a water bottle on them and can help - the more you can dilute the substance the better. Keep going until an ambulance/medics take over.

I recently stumbled across this charity https://www.citizenaid.org/
They have great resources such as a pocket guide on what to do in all sorts of emergency situations and the free app is great too.

It's also used as drain cleaner and gloss paint stripper, which is why you can obtain it easily, same as you can obtain kitchen knives easily.

Yes. The suits that protect fire crews from toxic smoke also protect against corrosives and they can use fire hoses to decontaminate pavements and roadways.

Removing clothes can take damaged skin off with it.

Water, more water, even more water...

I remember an ancid attack a few years ago and they were able to save his life/reduce burns by running to a near by hair dressers and constantly rinsing with water until the ambulance came.

Get anywhere that has a large running water source - hairdressers, gym, restaurants, someone’s home etc.

It’s a burn so water on it. Don’t t remove clothing as you can peel skin with it. Take a first aid course.

Then you'd be an acid attacker too.

the Pp isn’t talking about the colour of skin - they’re saying cultural background.

If you ever witness any such thing (and let's hope none of us do) or you spill things at home the first aid is water, as quickly as you can and as plentiful as possible, stripping off acid or alkaline soaked clothing if possible. More water the better

Obviously lots of water.

One thing I remember from a first aid class is when dousing in water be careful of the direction you are pouring the water. So if the person has had the acid poured on the side of their face, pour the water from the opposite direction so the water/acid mix isn't pouring onto their non-affected skin if you see what I mean? Try and turn them and aim the water in a way that it runs away from the rest of their body.

Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g · Today 15:52

I think the substance used in the Clapham attack was caustic soda, which is alkali, not acid. I don't know if that changes the advice about what to do.

No, as the linked Times article said; plenty of water and don't pull their clothes off if you don't have access to scissors, you'll end up burned as well.

I remember reading a similar one, some time ago and it said not to use milk, as that can make it worse.

If nothing else, get someone to run to a shop for bottles of water, or the nearest house and keep it coming and rinsing.

Remove remove remove is the advice, remove clothes, water on the area constantly until paramedics arrive p

Do not try to remove clothing unless you have protective gloves of some kind, otherwise you become another chemical burns patient.

There was an article in the paper recently about a man who was targeted at home in a case of mistaken identity, he applied water but he said in the article he should have stood under the shower until the medics arrived.

This is a male problem. Pakistani women aren't throwing corrosives at people. This is boring old male violence against women, which is found all over the world in differing forms.

Yes male and culturally aligned in many cases

I was just musing on how many ‘gender disappointment’ threads we get on mn

We are so far from acid attacks because a mother didn’t deliver a boy it’s insane to ignore cultural difference

If out on the street then any shop or house will have a tap if there's nowhere close selling bottled water. Old buckets, a washing up bowl, saturated towels could all be ways of getting tap water from A to B.

Not far from me and all involved are / were white.

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/andy-foster-murder-gateshead-ammonia-28089104

Great thread OP! I'd have absolutely no idea what to do if I witnessed such an attack. Hopefully the government or NHS release some kind of information about what to do as acid attacks do seem to be becoming more common over the last few years