[at-l] More on first aid for burns

[orangebug74@yahoo.com (Orange Bug)]

Let me spiff up that answer on the lady again a bit more. First, you
questioned if you could get her to stay alone. 

If it is a situation of her alone going into shock with you as the only
person there, you stay there with her and do your best to signal for
help. She cannot be relied upon to care for herself adequately alone.
Her gear is gone. I assume the other person has some clothing and
shelter, cooking gear, some first aid gear and a mirror and a whistle.
Make water and keep her and you hydrated and warm. Flash every airplane
with the mirror and frequently whistle 3 times to alert anyone passing
by. Keep her talking and busy as much as possible.

If she can walk and you are too high for air evac, she walks and you
will try to keep her hydrated and talking. Remember, she burned much of
her gear. Walking will keep you both warmer than sitting and waiting. 

If she is in trouble and can't walk, and if there are more than 1 other
person to assist, one walks for help and one stays and attends to her
as best as possible. No one in that party is going further up the
mountain. Again, keep her talking and active.

If she is alone, she might make it back and write a inspiring and
motivating book of overcoming impossible odds.

Shock has a lot to do with dropping blood pressure and related
deterioration in function. You don't have a blood pressure cuff in your
back pack, nor do I. You can get a few ideas about shock and function
by remembering the "UMBLES": Grumble, Mumble, Bumble, and Stumble
indicate the brain is not doing well. They feel bad and grumble and
complain. The get drowsy and start to mumble and talk less coherently.
The bumble and drop things and goof up. Then they begin to fall and
Stumble. You aren't going to walk much further at that point with her.

OB

--- W F Thorneloe <thornel@attglobal.net> wrote:
> >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.


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