Responding to a Lionfish Sting

• Clean the wound by thoroughly washing the area with soap and fresh water. Remove any foreign material, and control bleeding

• Control the pain by immersing the affected area in the hottest water tolerable without causing injury – the upper limit is 45°C – for 30 to 90 minutes. Have someone test the water on the same area as the injury to ensure it is not too hot, as intense pain may impair one’s ability to discriminate between hot and scalding. Repeat as needed • Apply cold packs or ice later to reduce swelling and help

with pain

• Take pain control medication, if needed

• Apply topical antibiotic, if available

• Seek a professional medical evaluation; medical management may include sedatives, a tetanus vaccination and antibiotics

• If severe symptoms are present, call your local

emergency medical services number

• Call the DAN 24-hour emergency hotline at

+61-8-8212-9242 (or 1800 088 200 within Australia)