Get Bonfire Night-ready with a compact first-aid kit and clear, step-by-step guidance for minor burns, eye irritation, and small cuts — plus practical safety tips for families.
Bonfire Night is one of the brightest evenings of the year — and also a common time for minor burns, eye irritation, and small cuts. This guide shows what to do in the first few minutes, what to pack in a small first-aid kit for the event, and simple steps to keep children and guests safe.
What to pack in a Bonfire Night first-aid kit
Plasters in assorted sizes
Low-adherent dressings and sterile gauze pads
Microporous tape
Small scissors with blunt tips and tweezers
Nitrile gloves
Saline eye wash pods (single-use) if space allows
Foil emergency blanket
Antiseptic wipes (for intact skin around minor wounds)
First-aid guidance card
Tip: Keep the kit where an adult can reach it fast — inner coat pocket or small cross-body bag.
Quick help for common Bonfire Night injuries
Minor burns or scalds
Cool the burn under cool running water for up to 20 minutes.
Remove rings, watches, or tight items near the area.
Cover with a sterile, non-adherent dressing or clean cling film (single layer).
Do not use creams, oils, or butter on fresh burns. Seek medical help for large, deep, or facial burns, or if you’re unsure.
Sparkler or debris eye irritation
Do not rub the eye.
If safe, rinse with sterile saline or clean, lukewarm water.
Cover the eye lightly and get medical advice if pain, vision changes, or a foreign body persists.
Small cuts and grazes
Put on gloves.
Rinse under clean running water; pat dry around the wound.
Cover with a plaster or low-adherent dressing and secure with tape.
Seek medical advice for deep, dirty, or persistent bleeding wounds.
Smoke irritation or coughing
Move the person away from smoke immediately. Loosen tight clothing and reassure. If symptoms don’t settle or breathing is difficult, seek urgent medical help.
Safety tips for the night
Supervise children closely and keep them well back from flames and fireworks.
Use only legal, CE/UKCA-marked fireworks and follow the instructions.
Light fireworks at arm’s length with a taper; never return to a lit firework.
Keep a bucket of water and a metal bin for spent fireworks.
Sparklers: one at a time, at arm’s length, with gloves; place in water to fully extinguish.
Wear fitted, non-flowing clothing; avoid loose scarves near flames.
Agree a meeting point so everyone knows where the first-aid kit is.
Aftercare and restocking
Check dressings later the same day; replace if wet or dirty.
Note what you used and restock the kit straight away.
Dispose of used items safely and keep the kit dry for your next outing.
