Acid attack: What to do, how to help victims and why WATER is most vital for first aid

An acid attack maims a victim with corrosive fluid and can scar them for life, inflicting serious injuries and potentially leaving victims blind.

Now doctors and the NHS have revealed what Britons should do if they are either a victim of an acid attack or they witness one.

Experts claim that intervention by a member of the public can drastically improve the results of an attack.

So what should you do if you witness an acid attack?

Dousing the victim of an acid in water is vital – and using as much water as possible is key.

Washing the acid off of a victim is very important, to the volume of 40 to 60 litres, experts claim.

If bystanders see an attack take place they should run to the nearest shop or venue and ask for as much water as possible.

Victims can also run to a tap and use the water to wash as much as possible. 

Stop Acid Attacks, a leading campaign against Acid Violence, issued the following advice for Britons: 

1. Immediately wash affected body part of patient with plenty of fresh or saline water.

2. Don’t rinse the burn area with dirty water as it can cause severe infection.

3. Keep flushing the affected burn area with plenty of cool water,(not very cold) until the patient’s burning sensation starts fading. It may take 30-45 minutes.

4. Remove all the jewelry or clothing which had contact with acid.

5. Don’t apply any kind of cream, ointment on the affected area as it may slow the treatment procedure by doctors.

6. Rush the patient to a burn specialty hospital having isolated wards for burn patients

Johann Grundlingh, an emergency consultant at Barts, told Sky News: “I think there’s an inherent reaction to when you see someone with a burn to put water on it, or something cold on it least.

“Definitely the people I’ve encountered on the street who have been attacked want to wash off what they’ve been attacked with.

“But a small 350ml bottle of water is not going to help. It’s the volume of water that is necessary and that people don’t know about and we encourage people to use litres and litres of water.”

A horrific spate of attacks has taken place across the country and in London, with police releasing footage of such an attack taking place near Harrods today.

Police have recorded 400 acid attacks in six months.

Yesterday it was reported that a gang hurled acid in a woman’s face in Durham, leaving the victim with burns to her face.

The woman needed hospital after the youngsters threw the corrosive substance at her. 

She described the liquid as white and foam-like, telling police it smelled like bleach. 

For more information on acid attacks and what to do if you are affected visit Stop Acid Attacks.