Fire Safety
and
First Aid
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Listed below are some precautions and recommendations for when you are using fire. Bear in mind your alternatives - that chain twirling can be just as effective using glowsticks in the dark, or using fluorescent materials under UV lights indoors.
Always remember that fire is very dangerous, no matter how good you are. Treat fire with respect.
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Fire Safety
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If you are going to use fire, then remember this important rule:
try not to get overconfident.
Before the performance:
- Check all your equipment - keep it maintained, discard anything that is showing wear.
- Store all fuels in tough, sealable containers - preferably metal.
- Avoid wearing clothes made from synthetic materials such as nylon or polyester. Wear old dark clothes when you use fire as the wicks leave black stinking marks if they hit your body.
- Tie long hair back. Consider wetting your hair with water.
- Make sure you have lots of room around you when using fire. NEVER use fire inside a home or other building, unless you're in some huge warehouse!
- More importantly, make sure that there is nothing flammable nearby.
- NEVER light them alone.
- NEVER light when drunk or otherwise impaired.
- After soaking the wicks in the flammable liquid and BEFORE you light them, spin them on the chains to remove excess liquid for at least 10 to 15 seconds or until you have absolutely no spray coming off. Without doing this, you can get a spray of flaming liquid thrown off when you start twirling - not good if you've got an audience.
During the performance:
- Do NOT use fire unless you feel completely confident in performing your chosen moves.
- Spectators should be at least 10 feet / 3m away from the performer.
- ALWAYS have a large damp towel handy, just in case.
- ALWAYS have a partner to watch over you and be ready to help in case of an accident.
- Don't twirl too fast - that's often how accidents can happen. Many moves are more mesmerising when performed slower.
- If the flame dies and you want to continue, first smother the wicks then re-soak them with fuel. Re-soaking regularly during a performance will prolong the life of towel wicks. Be careful of glowing embers or sparks when re-soaking.
After the performance:
- To extinguish, spin really fast to put the flame out, then smother with a damp towel or sand. Many people recommend resoaking wicks, especially kevlar wicks, in fuel after they've been extinguished. This does two things - it prevents the wicks from smouldering away inside and so helps to prolong the life of the wicks. Spin off any excess fuel before packing them away.
- Let your gear cool down.
- Check your gear for wear.
- Pack your gear away and make sure your fuels are secure.
- Smell yourself. You stink, so have a shower. Aren't you glad you didn't have decent clothes on?
For more fire safety info, check out the following pages:
- Fire For Jugglers by Eric Bagai. A very detailed site, including a must-read guide to fuels.
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First Aid
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You don't have to be a trained first-aider to be able to help someone who gets into trouble with fire. Make sure that you've got some basic fire-fighting gear with you before you perform. The simplest thing (and possibly one of the most effective) is a large damp towel. If the worst does happen, stay calm. You are the best chance for the casualty to escape unharmed.
First Aid for Burns:
- Put out burning clothing - smother with towel, jacket or use water.
- Hold burned area under cold running water until it returns to normal temperature (up to 10 minutes).
- Remove jewellery and clothing from burned area (unless stuck).
- Cover burn with non-adherent/burns dressing (or aluminium foil, plastic wrap or wet clean dressing).
- Seek medical aid.
First Aid for Clothes on Fire:
- Stop casualty from running around.
- Drop casualty to the ground and wrap in towel, jacket, blanket, etc. Natural fibres such as wool are best - don't use anything made of nylon or other synthetic materials.
- Roll casualty on ground until flames are smothered.
- Manage as for Burns, above.
Things to Avoid:
- Do NOT apply lotions, ointments or oily dressings.
- Do NOT prick or break blisters.
- Do NOT give alcohol.
- Do NOT overcool casualty.
- Do NOT wrap towels, cotton wool, blankets or adhesive dressings directly on the wound.
- Do NOT remove clothing stuck to burned area.
Seek Medical Aid If:
- burn is deep, especially if casualty feels no pain;
- any superficial burn is larger than 2cm;
- the burn involves airway, hands, face or genitals;
- you are unsure of the severity of the burn.
First Aid information taken from and copyright of the St. Johns Ambulance First Aid Handbook.
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