The days of Christmas get-togethers, road-trips and beach picnics are upon us.
Before you head off and get amongst it, Seven Sharp has some tips to keep you safe.
Last summer St John attended almost 98,000 callouts across New Zealand.
“A lot of us will be travelling over the Christmas and New Year period. We'll be going down the line to more rural remote areas, less chance of people like myself getting to you quicker,” St John paramedic Dan Spearing says.
With that in mind, he has tips to deal with common summer incidents.
Bee stings:
Keep the sting site really clean and remove the barbs, if any left behind.
“The old remedy. Vinegar, that's worked for myself in the past, and it worked for my daughter as well,” Spearing said.
“Also, keep an eye out for allergic reactions. If someone gets short of breath or wheezy, then you want to be calling 111 for an ambulance.”
Jellyfish stings:
Once again wash the site and this time remove any tentacles.
Use hot water to clean the sting site.
“It actually de-activates the toxins and reduces pain. So just remember hot water,” Spearing advises.
“I probably wouldn't wee on your sting, that'd be odd.”
Burns:
Cool using cold water over roughly 20 mins, no less than 20 minutes.
If you sustain a burn that's bad and blistering larger than my hand, seek medical attention.
Do not pop a blister.
For more top safety tips over the summer, check out Carolyn Robinson’s report in the video above.
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