bear spray first aid education

1. BEAR SPRAY FIRST AID AND DAWN SOAP
• Pepper Spray Antidote and First Aid and 30 + Minutes of Water Flushing
• It's good to know a defense pepper spray antidote, in case spray is ever blown back on you, or in case
you accidentally spray yourself or someone else. Since pepper spray is oil based (derived from
oleoresin capsicum) it simply won’t wash away with just water unless applied over an extended period
of time (say 30 minutes or more)
• VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: If you have been contaminated with pepper spray (especially in the face) DO
NOT RUB the contaminated area because it will not remove or stop the side effects. Resist this urge as
much as possible. Pepper spray is an inflammatory agent. It is designed to inflame your capillaries and
cause a horrific burning sensation. When you touch a contaminated area you aid the pepper spray in
opening up the capillaries. And the instant you do this the burning sensation will increase ten fold and
it will spread.
• Stopping the Burn . . .
Our highly recommend first aid recommendation for pepper spray removal is to start with applying
whole milk to the affected area. You can apply it to the effected area via a spray bottle, splash it
directly on your skin, saturate a clean towel and lay it over the effected area or submerse the effected
area. The milk should help take the burn away. However, this will not remove the oils in the pepper
spray. For getting the oils off we recommend using the below antidote. Removing the Pepper Spray
Oil from Your Skin Use a solution of 25% “Dawn” (noticed we mentioned a brand name) dishwashing
detergent and 75% water. You can probably get away with using less detergent but we have always
used this formula. Use cold water and make up at least a gallon because you are going to have to wash
the effected area at least 7 to 8 times.
• If your face is contaminated mix the detergent in a bowl that that is deep enough to immerse your
face in for 10 or 15 seconds at a time. Let the detergent start to do its job of breaking down the oils.
Do not use your hands or a cloth to wipe the solution away. Just let it sit. Once you have done this a
few times you can start lightly using your hands (after they have been dipped in the solution) or use a
solution-saturated towel to work the detergent into your skin. Because your skin will absorb some of
the oils you will not be able to completely wash it out. But by this time at least the effects will be
tolerable.
• What Happens When You Have Been Sprayed with Pepper Spray
Unlike other repellants or gas, which wears off fairly quickly and can be (to some extent) washed off,
pepper spray's main ingredient hangs in there, causing serious discomfort for more than a half hour
after exposure and even after attempts at washing away. Capsicum creates heat and minor nerve
irritation, actually reducing other signals sent from nerves to the brain. The debilitating effects last for
more than 30 minutes, and lessen over several hours.
• Pepper Spray and Allergic Reactions
Although there are no known specific lethal dose or lethal concentration listed on the Materials Safety
Data Sheet for OC it has been implicated in the deaths of some individuals sprayed with it. These
people had a violent allergic reactions that was life threatening known as anaphylaxis. Symptoms of
this condition include obstructed airways as a result of swelling, fainting and shock. Those with a
higher risk of an adverse reaction to pepper spray are asthmatics.