[at-l] More on first aid for burns

[thornel@attglobal.net (W F Thorneloe)]

Thank you for offering your ideas first. Here are the answers, but remember 
that life has many right answers.

At 06:32 PM 6/18/2001 -0400, rick boudrie wrote:
>In the Boy Scout situation, for example, I would be smart enough to 
>recognize that the hoarse voice spoke of a potentially serious problem. I 
>would probably insist that the boy seek medical attention in the next 
>couple hours, but I doubt that I'd have the conviction to do much 
>more.  When in doubt, I'd just walk out.  The thing that I have taken from 
>your example is a realization that I really don't have a clue about the 
>consequences such a delay could cause.  Without that understanding, I 
>don't think I would be a great leader in that situation.

The hoarse voice is the give away. This kid should have a 911 cell phone 
call and helicopter evac. The risk is airway burn and rapidly deterioration 
with pulmonary edema and respiratory failure. In this case, the kid was 
hoarse from yelling and shouting, and did well until his father got him 
home. He suffered significant burning sensations where he would normally sit.

>Rightly or wrongly, I would be more concerned in the case of the woman who 
>was burned by the tent.  I'd be concerned in a big way that walking out 
>could contribute to the woman going into shock, even though I don't have a 
>very good understand about what shock is all about.  Assuming that she 
>were able to walk out under her own power, I am not sure I'd have the 
>conviction to tell her to stay put while I went for assistance.

I'd want this person out of the back country ASAP. The burns to the head 
and face mean even greater risk of hypothermia. There is definite risk of 
airway compromise and carbon monoxide poisoning. You want her out of there 
before she goes into shock. The question is whether the weather can allow 
air evac or if walking is the least of the available evils. You also have 
to know the altitude and whether air evac is even possible. In this case, 
it was a mixture of walking until low enough for air evac.

OrangeBug