Acoustic flashbang, aki aki, me te wharanga marara marara te awhina tuatahi¶
He rereke nga nama ohorere i ia whenua. Ka whakamahia e tenei wharangi te 911, te nama mo te United States me Canada. He maha nga whenua e whakamahi ana i te 112, 999, tetahi atu nama ranei. Kimihia te nama mo to whenua.
I te wa o nga raruraru a-iwi, nga whakaaturanga a te iwi, nga whakahaere ture ranei e marara ana te marara, te hunga e noho tata ana, nga kairīpoata, nga rongoa, me nga kainoho ka pa ki te tini o nga patu patu tangata (he mea whakarōpūtia e nga tinana hauora me nga mana tangata hei "patu iti-mate"). Kei roto i enei taputapu he kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs) pnei i te matā rapa, te porowhita poroporo pahuka, te porotaka pīni, me te pohu hautai; nga pohu stun pyrotechnic (flashbangs) me nga pohu tukituki; nga taputapu oro-roa (LRAD / pu tangi); me te whakapouri matū (hau roimata / CS, rehu pepa / OC, me nga poro pepa).
Ahakoa te kupu "iti-whakamate," ko nga rangahau hauora i arotakehia e nga hoa i whakaputaina i roto i te BMJ me The New England Journal of Medicine e whakaatu ana ko nga maataatanga o te awe me nga taputapu stun pyrotechnic ka puta he whara kino, he mate whakamate i te waahi tata: ka whati te kanohi o te ao, ka whati te angaanga pouri, te kiri o roto o te puku, te puku o te puku, te puku o te puku. te kaha o te pupuhi, me te wera wera o te whakarewa-waikura hohonu. Ma te mohio me pehea te tango i te tangata whara mai i te raina ahi, te whakamarumaru i te poi kanohi kua pakaru me te kore e pehia, te rongoa i te wera pupuhi flashbang, te pakaru o te taringa, me te horoi i nga matū irirangi hei aukati i te hauatanga pumau me te ora.
Mahia tenei inaianei¶
- Whakanukuhia te tangata whara ki waho o te raina ahi me te whakaneke ake i te hau: I mua i te ngana ki te tiaki i nga patunga, arataki, mauria ranei te tangata whara ki waho o te huarahi ara i muri i te uhi maro (pērā i te kokonga whare raima, te pakitara raima ranei) me te whakarunga / piki kia matara atu i nga kapua hau roimata, ka totohu ki nga kuaha iti me nga arawhata o raro.
- Waea atu ki to nama whawhati tata mo te mahunga, te uma, te kaki, me nga paanga kanohi: Waea 911 i Amerika me Kanata, 112 puta noa i te Kotahitanga o Europi, 999 i te United Kingdom, 000 ranei i Ahitereiria. Ko te matā rapa, te peeke pini ranei e pa ana ki te mahunga, ki te kaki, ki te uma ranei ka mate te toto i roto i te roro, ka hinga te huarahi rererangi, ka mau ranei te ngakau (commotio cordis) ahakoa karekau te kiri o waho e pakaru. Tirohia ta maatau whaiaronga tau ohorere.
- Kaua rawa e pa atu, te pehi, te mirimiri ranei i te karu kua pa ki te karu, i te pupuhi ranei: Ki te pa te matā rapa, te paoro peita/pepa, te kongakonga flashbang ranei ki te kanohi, ki te orbit ranei, Kaua e pa ki te kanohi me te KAUA e ngana ki te unu i nga kongakonga kua titi. Hipokina te kanohi kua whara ki te papa whakamarumaru (pērā i te paparinga o te paparinga o te paparinga me te kapu o raro) te kanohi kore i whara hei aukati i nga nekehanga kanohi aroha i te wa e kawe ana i te hohipera.
- Kaua rawa e whana, e kohia, e ringihia ranei he wai ki runga i te puhipuhi puhipuhi, i te ipu hau haehae ranei: Ko nga grenades stun Pyrotechnic me te momo hoia kaitapa hau haehae ka tahuna nga utu o roto konupora, konumohe-perchlorate ranei i 1,000 ki te 2,700 nga nekehanga Celsius (1,800 ki te 4,900 nga nekehanga Fahrenheit) ka taea te whakakore i te maihao tuarua, ka taea te whakakore i te maihao tuarua. Haere tonu atu; ki te ka wera te kakahu, Kati, Whakataka, ka Hurihia ka peia ranei te mura ki te koti taumaha, ka wera te kiri matao ki te wai rere mo te 20 meneti.
- Whakaorangia te wai, te hopi, me nga maihao ki waho i te taringa e toto ana, e tangi ana ranei i muri i te pupuhitanga o te pupuhitanga: Ki te pahū te pohu stun ki te taha o te mahunga o tetahi, ka pakaru te ngaru 170-ki-180-decibel i te puoro taringa (tympanic membrane). Kaua rawa e hoatu he pata, he wai, he miro ranei ki roto i te awa taringa. Whakanohoia marietia he whariki karekau maroke maroke ki runga i te taringa o waho hei hopu i te toto, i te wai whakamaarama ranei, ka rapu wawe i te tiaki hauora.
- Whakawetohia te hau roimata, te rehu pepa ranei ki te wai matao noa, ki te tote ranei (pekehia te miraka me te antacids i runga i nga patunga tuwhera): Nekehia ki te hau hou, anga whakamua kia kore e rere te rere ki roto ki nga kanohi, ki te hiku ranei, me te horoi i nga kanohi mai i te kokonga o roto (tata ki te ihu) ki waho ma te whakamahi i te rere tere o te tote noa, te wai inu makariri ranei. Kaua rawa e ringihia te miraka, te shampoo peepi, te wai antacid ranei ki roto i te karu kua pakaru, kua werohia, kua whara ranei.
Danger
**Ki te patua te tangata i waenganui o te uma e te matā rapa, te poro pahuka i te porowhita, te peeke pīni ranei ka hinga pohehe i roto i nga hēkona, me timata tonu te CPR ringa-anake ka karanga mo te Automated External Defibrillator (AED). fibrillation ventricular (commotio cordis). Ko te koopeketanga o te uma tonu (100 ki te 120 ia meneti) me te whakamaaramatanga i roto i te 3 ki te 5 meneti ko nga wawaotanga anake e whakahoki ai i te paheketanga o te ngakau.
flowchart TD
A["Te Marara o te Maatai o te Maatai ka Puta"] --> B["Nekehia te aitua ki muri ki muri o te uhi maataki me te whakarunga i te hau ki te rohe haumaru"]
B --> C{"He aha te tikanga whara tuatahi?"}
C -->|"Te Paanga Kinetic Projectile (Mata Rubber, Peeke Piiini, Porowhita)"| D{"Ko tehea rohe tinana i patua?"}
C -->|"Flashbang / Pyrotechnic Blast, Acoustic LRAD ranei"| E{"He wera wera, he toto te taringa, he marara ranei?"}
C -->|"Te Matū Whakariri Anake (Tear Gas CS / Pepa Repu OC)"| F["Tihorea te paparanga o waho kua poke, kia kimo i roto i te hau hou, ka horoi i nga kanohi o roto-ki-waho ki te wai tote, ki te tote ranei"]
D -->|"Te Upoko, te kaki, te uma, te puku ranei"| G["Waea wawetia nga ratonga whawhati tata: te aro turuki i te huarahi rererangi / manawa me te maataki mo te whakaheke toto o roto, te marumaru ranei"]
D -->|"Karu, Orbit ranei"| H["ZERO pehanga ki runga i te kanohi: rīpenehia he parepare kapu pepa mārō ki runga i te turanga kirikiri ka hipoki i nga kanohi e rua"]
D -->|"Te Wehenga o te Waa, te Rauna Whakamau ranei"| I["Whakahaerehia te toto me te whakakai u/te pehanga tika me te kore e pana hohonu te kaupapa whakauru"]
E -->|"Weranga Weariki mai i Canister, Flash ranei"| J["Wera whakamatao ki te wai rere ma mo te 20 meneti ka hipokina ki te takai piri kore, ki te kakahu kore-rakau ranei"]
E -->|"Te Puka Puka (Te Turi, Te Tatangi, Te Toto Taringa)"| K["Kia 100% kia maroke te takere o te taringa (kaore he pata, he wai ranei), ka hipokina te taringa o waho ki te karaehe maroke, ka tirohia kei te pakaru ranei"]
Matrix Triage: patu marara mano me nga tauira whara motuhake¶
Ma te mohio ki te tikanga tinana o ia taputapu whakamararatanga mano ka taea e te hunga whakautu tuatahi me te hunga e noho tata ana ki te rapu i nga whara o roto huna e ngawari ana ki te ngaro i roto i te taiao rorirori.
| Waahanga patu | Tauira noa & Hangarau | Te Moutere Tere / Putanga | Te Whakamatea Tuatahi me nga Morearea Hauora | Ture Awhina Tuatahi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahinga Paanga Kinetic (KIP) | 40 mm te hautai porohita, te pahuka i te poro, te matā whakarewa kua pania ki te rapa, te rakau rakau, me te papanga "pueke pini" 12-mehua (kua whakakiia ki te 40 karamu o te pupuhi manu) | 60 ki te 100+ mita/hekona (200 ki te 330+ ft/hekona); ka tuku i te kaha o te kaha puhuki (me te whara kino ki te pupuhi i raro i te 10 ki te 15 mita / 33 ki te 50 putu) | Mahunga/Mata: Te pakaru o te ao (matapo tonu), whati orbital, whati angaanga pouri, toto toto. Tawa: He whati riu, he pulmonary contusion, he mahunga te huhu, he whati te kiko/te ate, commotio cordis. Nga Wāhanga: Nga whati pūhui me nga rauna whakauru |
Whakaarohia nga whiunga KIP tata-tata ki te mahunga, ki te kaki, ki te rama ranei hei wharanga kaha-nui (penei i te pupuhi pu, i te pupuhi poikiri poipapa ranei); kaua rawa e kumea he rapa kua mau, he pukoro piana ranei mai i te patunga |
| Pahū Pohu Whakaoho (Flashbangs) me Pohu Waoro | Nga kaitao pirotechnic kei roto he konupora/konumohe me te haukinia/potassium perchlorate flash paura utu i hangaia kia pakaru i roto i nga rua hau. | 170 ki te 185 decibels (dB) ngaru pupuhi oro + 6,000,000 ki te 8,000,000 candela rama matapo + wera nui (>1,500 C / 2,732 F) | Paputanga Tuatahi: Kua pakaru nga taringa (meipii tympanic), te ngaronga o te rongo o te sensorineural, te whara o te roro. Te Putanga Tuarua: Te kuhu ki roto i te kirikiri kirihou/whakarewa whakarewa. Tuatahi: Hohonu te weranga waiariki konupora taumata-3 me te tapahi ringa/waewae ki te tata ki te tinana |
Kaua rawa e kohia, ka whana ranei i te keene. Kia maroke nga taringa kua pakaru; wera wera wera me te wai mo te 20 meneti; rongoa i nga patunga maru ma te pehanga tika |
| Pyrotechnic Tear Gas Canisters (CS / CN Smoke Grenades) | Ko nga kaitao whakarewa e peia ana te auahi whakapouri matū ma te tahu i te paraka wahie o roto mo te 30 ki te 90 hēkona | Ka wera te tinana o te ipu ki 400 ki te 600+ C (750 ki te 1,100+ F); kaupapa whakarewa taimaha ki te pupuhi mai i te whakarewatanga 37/40 mm | Te wera o te pa ki te pa kore ringa; ko te paheketanga o te kaata ka mate te angaanga, ka whati ranei te kanohi; Ko te paoa nui ka pa ki te bronchospasm me te hauhau i roto i nga waahi kapi | Kaua rawa e pa ki te kaata wera me te kore he karapu wera o te karaehe matotoru; kaua e mahangatia te ipu hikareti i raro i te peere kirihou ka pakaru te pehanga hau i te ipu |
| Ngā Pūrere Oro Roro-roa (LRADs / Puoro Oro) | Ko nga haera oro whakangao e mau ana ki runga waka, tiratoru ranei e whakaputa ana i nga kurupae auau teitei e arotahi ana (2,000 ki te 4,000 Hz, kei reira te taringa tangata e tino tairongo ana) | 135 ki te 162 decibels (dB) i te 1 mita (ko te paepae mamae o te tangata ko te 120-130 dB; ka puta te kino o te taringa o roto i te miihini i te 140+ dB) | Te mamae ororongo, te pakaru o nga pūtau makawe-a-koka, te tinitus whakararu kino, te vertigo vestibular, te nausea, te ngaro o te pauna, me te heke. | Haere atu ki waho o te koeko aronga whaiti 15-ki-30-tohu inamata tonu (ma te neke ki te taha ka heke te kaha oro ma te 20 ki te 30 dB); Monohia nga taringa ki te pupuhi taringa, maihao ranei |
| Poi Pepa me nga Rauna Tohu Peipei | Ko nga awheawhe kirihou kua whakakiia ki te capsaicin (PAVA / OC) paura i pupuhihia mai i nga kaiwhakaputa hau-whakapiri | 85 ki te 110 mita/hekona (280 ki te 360 ft/hekona) | Ko te awenga o te kanohi ka puta tonu te hyphema (te toto i roto i mua o te kanohi), te wehenga o te arotahi, te pakaru o te ao ranei, ka whakahuihuihia e te wera kaha o te capsaicin matū i roto i nga kiri tuwhera. | Tirohia mo te wharanga kanohi miihini i mua i te horoi; pania te kiri a tawhio noa ki te wai matao me te kore e mirimiri i te paura capsaicin kia hohonu rawa atu ki roto i nga pakaru pakaru |
Hipanga 1: Te rongoa i nga whara a te Kinetic Impact Projectile (Rubber Bullet & Beanbag)¶
Ko te pakiwaitara nui e kii ana ko te "matā rapa" he mea hanga mai i te rapa ngohengohe me te rapa rite te poi takaro a te tamaiti. I roto i te meka, he maha nga kaupapa whakangao hiko he ** maitai totoka, mata, konumohe matua ranei** kua whakakikoruatia ki te paparanga angiangi 2-millimeter o te rapa puia, pahuka polyurethane matotoru ranei, ko nga porohita "peeke pini" 12 he urunga papanga Kevlar kua whakakiia ki te **40 karamu (1.4 hekere) o te 90 mita mai i te pupuhi manu i te #90 he pere mo ia manu. (230 ki te 300 putu ia hekona).
Ka puhipuhihia mai i te waa poto, i te wa ranei ka paopao te mahanga ki runga i te papa raima ka taka ki te taha o te tangata e tu ana, ka poro tika te kaha o te hiko ki te kiri, ka whati te wheua, ka kuhu ki te kaupapa (me nga papanga paru o te kakahu o te tangata i pa) ki roto i te uaua, i te kohao tinana ranei.
1. Te mamae o te mata: ka pa te karu he poroporo pepa ranei¶
Ko nga arotake hauora e whakaatu ana ** ko nga paanga o nga kanohi mai i nga kaupapa kinetic e kawe ana i tetahi o nga reiti teitei o te hauatanga tuturu i roto i nga waahi mararatanga mano**, he maha nga wa e pakaru ana te poi kanohi (tuwhera te ao wharanga**), ka wetewete i te retina, ka whakakiia ranei te ruma o mua ki te toto (traumatic hyphema).
Kawa whawhati kanohi tonu: - Mohio ki tetahi Whara o te Ao Tuwhera: Titiro (kaore e pa, ka kumea ranei i nga kamo) mo te ahua o te roimata, he kopikopiko ranei te ahua, he toto kei roto i te iris tae (hyphema), he kiko tiēre pouri e puta mai ana i te ma o te kanohi, he ahua papatahi, kua tiango ranei te ahua o te whatu kanohi, kua mangu ranei te ahua o te kanohi, ("kua ngaro ohorere" ranei). - Hoatuhia te pehanga ZERO ki te poi kanohi: Kaua rawa e pehi i te papa kakano ki te kanohi kua pa, kaua rawa e ringihia te wai pehanga teitei, nga ranunga antacid ranei i hangaia ki te karu kua pa mai. Ma te pehi i te poi kanohi kua werohia, ka pehia te whakakatakata mai i te kanohi, ka kore e taea te huri. - Hangaia he parepare kanohi maro: Mena karekau he konumohe hoia Fox Eye Shield, tangohia he pepa, he kapu inu pahuka ranei, tapahia, haea ranei te haurua o raro kia 4 henimita (1.5 inihi) te roa, ka whakapiri i te riu o te kapu ki runga i te ** hiwi rae rae i runga ake i te kanohi me te paparinga i runga ake i te kamo, i te paparinga ranei**. - Kopihia te kanohi karekau i whara (Bilateral Patching): Ko nga kanohi o te tangata e noho tahi ana (consensual conjugate eye movement): i nga wa katoa ka kopikopiko to kanohi maui ki te titiro ki nga paramedics, ki nga rama tiriti ranei, he rite te neke o to kanohi matau i whara ki roto i tona turanga, ka huri i te whati orbital, ka haehae ranei te kiko retinal. Ko te uhi marie i te kanohi pai ki te kaini ka marino nga kanohi e rua i a koe e arahi ana i te tangata ma tona ringa ki te waka turoro. - Whakatika tika i te 30 ki te 45 nga nekehanga: Kia noho tika te manawanui (kaua e takoto papatahi, kaua e piko te mahunga ki raro) me te ako ** kia kaua e maremare, kia pupuhi te ihu, kia werohia ranei**, ka piki te pehanga intraocular. Tirohia ta maatau taipitopito whara kanohi aratohu awhina tuatahi.
2. Te mahunga, te kaki, me nga paanga o te kanohi¶
Ko te 40-millimeter te paopao pahuka, te matā rapa ranei e pa ana ki te rae, ki te whare tapu, ki te kauae, ki te kaki ranei ka nui te kaha o te pupuhi ki te whati i te angaanga, ki te kuru i te larynx (pouaka reo), ki te wetewete ranei i te arai karoti.
- Airway first on neck hits: A projectile striking the front of the throat can fracture the thyroid or cricoid cartilage, causing rapid internal swelling that blocks the airway within 10 to 20 minutes. If someone struck in the neck develops a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing saliva, noisy high-pitched breathing (stridor), or bubbling/crunching under the skin of the neck (subcutaneous emphysema), call emergency services immediately and keep them sitting upright leaning slightly forward.
- Screen for Intracranial Bleeds: Anyone struck in the head who loses consciousness (even for 3 seconds), vomits, becomes confused, develops unequal pupils, has clear fluid or blood dripping from the nose or ears, or experiences a worsening headache requires immediate emergency room CT imaging. See our head injuries guide.
3. Chest and abdominal blunt trauma (and embedded projectiles)¶
- Never pull out an embedded rubber bullet or beanbag round: At ranges under 15 meters (50 feet), 40-millimeter sponge rounds and 12-gauge lead-shot beanbags regularly punch right through the skin and lodge inside the chest wall, abdomen, or thigh. Treat an embedded projectile exactly like an impaled knife blade: pulling it out in the street can uncork a torn artery. Leave it in place, pack clean gauze around the edges to stabilize it, and transport to a trauma surgeon. (Note for ER doctors: 12-gauge beanbag rounds contain lead birdshot that can rupture open inside the wound, requiring X-ray confirmation that all lead pellets and fabric wadding are surgically removed.)
- Watch for Delayed Internal Bleeding (Spleen, Liver, and Lung): A person struck in the lower ribs or stomach by a baton round often walks away thinking they only have a nasty purple bruise, only to collapse 2 hours later at home from a ruptured spleen, lacerated liver, or tension pneumothorax (collapsed lung). Seek urgent hospital evaluation after any torso impact if the person develops shortness of breath, sharp pain when taking a deep breath, pain radiating to the tip of the left shoulder (Kehr's sign of blood irritating the diaphragm from a ruptured spleen), pale clammy skin, dizziness when standing up, or a rigid, tender abdomen.
Step 2: Treating Flashbang (Stun Grenade) and Acoustic Blast injuries¶
A flashbang (stun grenade) is an explosive device originally designed for military hostage-rescue room entries, not open street crowds. Yet when deployed into dense crowds, a flashbang detonates with an overpressure shockwave of 170 to 185 decibels (more than 1,000 times the acoustic pressure threshold that ruptures human ear structures), a blinding 6-to-8-million-candela light flash, and an intense fireball fuelled by metallic magnesium or aluminum powder.
1. Primary Blast Injury: Ruptured Eardrums (Tympanic Membrane Perforation) and Blast Concussion¶
When a flashbang or concussion grenade detonates within 1 to 5 meters (3 to 16 feet) of a person, the supersonic blast wave slams into the skull and external ear canal:
- Signs of a Ruptured Eardrum: Sudden sharp ear pain at the moment of the blast followed by immediate muffled hearing or deafness on that side, loud roaring or high-pitched ringing (tinnitus), severe spinning dizziness (vertigo and loss of balance from inner-ear semicircular canal shock), and bright red blood or clear/pinkish fluid draining from the ear canal.
- Strict First Aid Rules for Blast Ear Trauma:
- Keep the ear canal 100 percent DRY: Never flush a blast-injured ear with water, saline, or eyewash when washing off tear gas. If a person has a perforated eardrum from a flashbang and someone pours contaminated tear-gas wash water down their ear canal, bacteria and CS chemical crystals enter the middle ear space directly, causing severe middle-ear infections (otitis media) and intense pain.
- Never plug the inside of a bleeding ear canal tightly: If clear fluid or watery blood is trickling out of the ear after a blast or head strike, it may contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from a basilar skull fracture. Never jam cotton balls or earplugs into a bleeding ear canal. Instead, tape a sterile, dry gauze pad loosely over the outside of the ear so fluids can drain freely onto the pad, and seek emergency medical evaluation. (Most clean blast eardrum perforations heal on their own over 4 to 8 weeks if kept completely dry, while larger tears require an ENT specialist patch or tympanoplasty.)
2. Secondary and Tertiary Flashbang Trauma: Shrapnel and Magnesium Thermal Burns¶
Although stun grenades are designed so the heavy steel top and bottom sub-munitions stay intact while gas vents through side holes, modern lightweight composite/plastic-bodied flashbangs and pyrotechnic smoke grenades frequently shatter upon detonation, propelling razor-sharp fragments of burning plastic, metal pins, and hot chemical slag outward at ballistic speeds:
- Cooling Flashbang and Canister Thermal Burns: If a flashbang detonates against someone's leg, backpack, or coat, or if someone accidentally brushes against a 500-degree-Celsius (932-degree-Fahrenheit) tear gas canister:
- Extinguish any burning synthetic clothing immediately (synthetic nylon or polyester jackets melt into hot sticky tar; strip off smoldering outer garments if not melted into the skin).
- Gently brush off any loose dry powder residue, then flood the burn with cool, clean running water for a full 20 minutes (never use ice, butter, toothpaste, or baking soda paste on a burn).
- Cover the cooled burn loosely with clean plastic kitchen cling film (laid flat, not wrapped tightly around a swelling limb) or a sterile non-stick dressing and go to a hospital burn or emergency unit.
3. Defending against Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRADs / Sound Cannons)¶
When an LRAD (Long-Range Acoustic Device) activates its high-pitched deterrent tone, it projects a tightly focused beam of 2,000-to-4,000-hertz sound energy at 135 to 162 decibels. Because decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale, every 10-decibel increase multiplies acoustic energy by 10-fold: 150 decibels is 1,000 times more intense than a 120-decibel rock concert or ambulance siren, causing immediate mechanical shearing of the delicate stereocilia hair cells inside the inner ear cochlea within seconds.
| LRAD Escape Factor | Wrong Action (High Hearing Loss Risk) | Correct Immediate Action | Acoustic Physics Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direction of Movement | Walking straight backward down the middle of the street away from the LRAD truck | Step 90 degrees sideways (laterally) off the center axis and step behind a solid building corner or parked vehicle | LRADs use phased-array transducers to focus sound into a narrow 15-to-30-degree directional cone; moving just 5 to 10 meters sideways drops sound energy by 20 to 30 decibels immediately |
| Ear Protection Method | Holding flat palms loosely over the outside of your ears | Press the fleshy tragus flap of each ear tightly into the ear canal opening with your index fingers (or insert NRR 32+ dB foam earplugs + over-ear earmuffs) | Sealing the ear canal entrance tightly with the tragus or rolled foam earplugs cuts incoming sound pressure by 25 to 33 decibels, keeping inner-ear hair cells below the mechanical tearing threshold |
| Post-Exposure Care | Returning to loud environments or wearing headphones that evening | Total acoustic rest in a quiet room for 24 to 48 hours; see an ENT physician urgently within 24 to 72 hours if muffled hearing or loud ringing persists | Early oral corticosteroid treatment prescribed by an ENT doctor within 48 to 72 hours of acute acoustic trauma can salvage stressed cochlear hair cells before permanent deafness sets in |
Step 3: Safe decontamination of Tear Gas (CS) and Pepper Spray (OC) alongside wounds¶
When a person has both an open physical wound (such as a scrape, laceration, or ruptured eardrum) AND heavy chemical irritant contamination (CS tear gas or OC / PAVA pepper spray), your decontamination technique must avoid poisoning the open wound.
| Decontamination Solution | Safe for Intact Eyes & Skin? | Safe if Person Has an Open Cut, Scrape, or Eye Injury? | Scientific Evidence & Field Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sterile Normal Saline (0.9% NaCl) or Clean Cold Drinking Water | YES (Gold Standard) | YES (100% Safe) | Randomized clinical trials prove high-volume flushing with plain cold water or sterile saline removes CS crystals and cools OC receptors just as fast as specialty mixes, with zero infection risk |
| Milk, Liquid Antacid (LAW / Maalox), or Baby Shampoo | Often used by street folk lore, NOT recommended by emergency physicians | STRICTLY BANNED on open cuts, broken skin, or eye trauma | Non-sterile milk and sugary/particulate antacids introduce bacteria (Pseudomonas, Staph) into raw wounds and corneal abrasions, and randomized trials show they work no better than plain water |
| Cooking Oil, Petroleum Jelly, or Alcohol Wipes | NO (Makes burns worse) | NO | CS tear gas powder and OC capsaicin resin are fat-soluble; oil-based lotions trap the chemical against the skin, while alcohol opens pores and causes severe pain |
How to flush eyes and skin without spreading chemical crystals downward¶
- Do NOT rub your eyes: CS tear gas is not actually a gas; it is a fine aerosol cloud of microscopic solid crystalline particles (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile) with tiny sharp edges. Rubbing your eyes grinds those crystals straight into your cornea, causing painful corneal abrasions.
- Stand into the wind and blink rapidly: Once out of the smoke cloud, face the clean breeze, hold your arms out from your sides, and blink rapidly so natural tears begin floating the particles out.
- Flush from the nose outward while leaning forward: Tilt your head forward and sideways (so contaminated wash water drips straight onto the ground rather than running down your neck, chest, and into your groin, where thin skin burns intensely). Pour a steady stream of clean cold water or sterile saline across the open eye starting at the inner corner next to the bridge of the nose and flowing outward across the temple for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Watch for severe Asthma or COPD bronchospasm: Inhaling CS tear gas or pepper spray triggers violent airway constriction in people with asthma or reactive airway disease. Help them sit upright in fresh air and assist them in using their prescribed albuterol / salbutamol rescue inhaler (2 to 4 puffs via spacer); if wheezing continues or lips turn blue, call emergency medical services immediately.
- Cold shower at home (before hot): When you get home, strip off your contaminated clothes inside a garage or bathroom into a sealed plastic bag. Step into a stone-cold shower for the first 5 minutes while leaning your head forward so water does not wash hair residue onto your lower body; taking a hot shower first opens skin pores and reactivates trapped CS crystals, causing a fresh full-body burning sensation.
Take a course
When someone suffers severe bleeding, chest trauma, or airway distress during a public emergency, hands-on training makes all the difference. We strongly recommend taking an accredited Stop the Bleed course and a standard First Aid, CPR, and AED course from your national Red Cross or Red Crescent society, St John Ambulance, or local trauma center.
Pātai auau¶
Can a "rubber bullet" or "beanbag round" really fracture a skull or kill someone?
Yes. Despite the casual name "rubber bullet," kinetic impact projectiles (KIPs) are heavy batons made of hard vulcanized rubber, dense polyurethane foam, or metal cores coated in rubber, fired from 37 mm or 40 mm launchers or 12-gauge shotguns at speeds of 60 to 100+ meters per second (135 to 225+ miles per hour). A systematic medical review published in the journal *BMJ Open* analyzing 1,984 people injured by kinetic impact projectiles found that 53 died from their injuries and 300 suffered permanent disability (most commonly permanent blindness from ruptured eyes, traumatic brain injuries from depressed skull fractures, and ruptured abdominal organs). Any hit to the head, neck, chest, or abdomen must be treated as a potentially life-threatening trauma emergency.
Why did the person I was helping tell me NOT to pour liquid antacid (Maalox) or milk into their eyes after a pepper ball hit them?
Because a pepper ball or close-range blast causes **mechanical corneal abrasions or open globe lacerations** on top of the chemical irritation. Pouring unsterile milk (which teems with bacteria once warm in a backpack) or chalky particulate liquid antacid (magnesium/aluminum hydroxide) into an eye that has a scratched cornea or ruptured eyeball introduces foreign particles and bacteria deep into the eye and can cause permanent blindness. In addition, a landmark randomized clinical trial published in the *Western Journal of Emergency Medicine* compared baby shampoo, milk, liquid antacid, lidocaine, and plain water for pepper spray decontamination and proved that **plain cold water / sterile saline works just as fast as every other substance** while being 100 percent sterile and safe for open wounds.
What should I do if a smoking tear gas canister or flashbang lands right at my feet?
Never bend down to pick it up with your bare hands, never kick it with a thin sneaker, and never trap it underneath a sealed plastic bucket or traffic cone. First, if the canister is a **flashbang / stun grenade** (which detonates 1.5 seconds after release) or an instantaneous blast tear-gas grenade, trying to grab or kick it can blow your hand or foot off at the wrist or ankle. Second, if it is a **pyrotechnic burning CS tear gas canister**, the metal shell burns at 400 to 600 degrees Celsius (750 to 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit), causing instant third-degree contact burns through ordinary gloves, and trapping a burning canister inside a tight container can cause pressure buildup and explosion. The safest action for any bystander is to **turn away, shield your eyes and ears, and move 15 meters (50 feet) laterally and upwind immediately**.
My ear has been ringing loudly and sounds muffled like I am underwater ever since a flashbang went off near me yesterday. Should I wait for it to clear up on its own?
Do not wait. Go to an urgent care clinic, emergency department, or Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT / Otolaryngology) specialist within the **first 24 to 72 hours**. A flashbang blast wave (170 to 185 dB) can cause two distinct injuries: a physical hole torn in your eardrum (**tympanic membrane perforation**), which requires an otoscope check and strict dry-ear precautions to prevent infection, AND acute inner-ear hair-cell damage (**acute sensorineural acoustic trauma**). If you have suffered acute sensorineural hearing loss from a blast or LRAD, an ENT doctor can prescribe a short, high-dose burst of oral corticosteroids (such as prednisone) within the first 48 to 72 hours, which reduces inner-ear inflammation and significantly improves the chances of recovering your hearing before the damage becomes permanent.
Why should I never wear contact lenses if there is any chance of being caught near tear gas or pepper spray?
Soft contact lenses act like microscopic sponges that soak up and trap dissolved CS tear gas chemicals and oily OC capsaicin resin directly against your cornea. Even if you flush your eyes with a liter of saline, the chemical stays trapped underneath the contact lens, continuing to burn your cornea until it causes a severe corneal ulcer. Worse yet, trying to pinch a contact lens out of your eye in the street while your fingers are coated in tear gas crystals rubs the crystals straight into your eye. If you are ever exposed to tear gas while wearing contacts, have someone with clean, gloved (or thoroughly washed) hands help you remove and **permanently throw away** the contact lenses (soft lenses contaminated with CS or OC can never be cleaned and reused).
How do I wash tear gas (CS) powder out of my clothes and skin when I get home without re-gassing my whole bathroom?
CS tear gas is a fine solid crystal powder clinging to your hair, jacket, and pants. When you get home, strip off your outer clothes on an outdoor porch, balcony, or garage floor (never shake them out in your bedroom) and seal them in a plastic bag. Step into the shower and turn the water to **cold for the first 5 minutes** while leaning your head forward so hair runoff goes straight down the drain without running over your chest and groin (hot water opens your pores and vaporizes CS crystals into steam, gassing you all over again). After 5 minutes of cold rinsing, wash with mild soap and lukewarm water. Wash the contaminated clothes **separately from all other family laundry** using cold water and standard laundry detergent, and run them through two full rinse cycles before drying.
Kua tirohia nga puna¶
- International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) (International): First Aid in Armed Conflicts and Other Situations of Violence clinical guidelines for blast injuries, kinetic impact trauma, ocular shielding, and chemical irritant decontamination.
- Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) and International Network of Civil Liberties Organizations (INCLO) (United States / International): Lethal in Disguise: The Health Consequences of Crowd-Control Weapons and BMJ Open systematic review on mortality and morbidity from kinetic impact projectiles, stun grenades, acoustic weapons, and chemical irritants.
- American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) (United States): Recognizing and Treating Eye Injuries Among Protestors (open globe rupture shielding, traumatic hyphema management, and avoidance of ocular pressure).
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (United States): Riot Control Agents (CS, CN, and OC) Medical Management Guidelines and Treatments for Blast Injuries: Ear and Blast Overpressure Trauma.
- National Health Service (NHS) and Faculty of Pre-Hospital Care, Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (United Kingdom): Pre-hospital blast barotrauma, tympanic membrane perforation dry-ear protocols, and thermal burn cooling guidelines.
- World Health Organization (WHO) (International): Emergency trauma care guidelines for blunt thoracic, cranial, and ocular trauma.