Eyeflush

• Go outside in the cold with water bottles, LAW bottles, and ponchos.
• Pepper spray and tear gas hurt; for most people the effects go away within 30 minutes in fresh air and no other treatment.
• Danger: can't see, disoriented. Solution: escorting to safety or "Come toward my voice"
• Danger: asthma/breathing difficulty. Solution: scan crowd for silent sufferers in tripod position, escort to safety, help with inhaler, prepare to go to hospital or home with them.
• Danger: contacts trap chemicals against eyes; eyeflush can make contact slip into eye socket. Solution: Public education. Write "Contacts?" on bottom of eyeflush bottle so you never forget to ask. They take their own contacts out and dispose of them before eyeflush. They can't be clean. Prepare to help them get home or to a safe place they can meet friends later.
• Dangers: Rubbing eyes, losing glasses, getting wet from eyeflush, not paying attention while eyeflushing. Solutions: hands on knees, they hold their glasses, use a poncho, have a buddy who watches the scene.
• Show eyeflush technique. Emphasize gloves, how to get eye open, tilting head so water runs away from tearduct, force of stream. Answer questions.
• They practice.
• Explain LAW: aluminum hydroxide/magnesium hydroxide (Maalox or Mylanta) antacid (plain or flavored, no alcohol, simethicone ok), 50:50 with tap water. Eyeflush works by mechanical force, LAW and milk work by buffering action.
• Bag outer clothes before entering enclosed areas (car, bus, house), 30 minute shower (watch you don't let it run from hair into eyes or junk), wash clothes with harsh detergent.