Combat Life Saver

Lesson 11
GIVE FIRST AID FOR BURNS

Compiled and edited by,

2LT John C. Miller, PA-C
 Lesson 11
GIVE FIRST AID FOR BURNS

INTRODUCTION

If a casualty is being burned, you must first eliminate

the source of the burn in order to protect both the
casualty and yourself. Once the immediate danger
has been removed or controlled, check the casualty
for breathing, control any major bleeding, and take
measures to control or prevent shock.
 GIVE FIRST AID FOR BURNS

• TASK
Identify the proper procedures for treating a casualty
with burns.
• CONDITION
Given multiple-choice items pertaining to burns.
• STANDARD
Score 70 or more points on the 100-point written
 CLASSIFY BURN AS TO TYPE

• Burns can be classified by cause and by severity.

Burns can result from thermal, electrical, chemical, or
radiant sources. They are usually rated as being first,
second, or third degree in severity.
• Causes
• Thermal burns are caused by heat. They can be
caused by a flame, a hot object, steam, or the fireball
from a nuclear explosion.
• Electrical burns are caused by an electrical current
passing through the body, such as from coming into
contact with a "live" electrical wire.
 CLASSIFY BURN AS TO TYPE

• Chemical burns are caused by liquid or dry chemicals

such as ammonia, caustic soda, quick-lime, or white
phosphorus (WP).
• Radiant energy burns can be caused by lasers,
electric welding arcs, ultraviolet light, and
microwaves. The primary danger is to the eyes.
• Severity
• First degree burns -- The skin is red and painful like a
sunburn, but blisters are not present.
• Second degree burns -- The skin is red and painful;
blisters are present.
 CLASSIFY BURN AS TO TYPE

• Third degree burns -- The skin layers are destroyed

and underlying fat, muscles, and/or bone may also be
damaged. The burn area may not be painful because
the nerves have been destroyed, but the surrounding
second and first degree burn areas may be painful.
 PUT OUT FLAMES

• If the casualty's clothing is on fire, cover the casualty

with a large piece of nonsynthetic material (such as a
wool or cotton blanket) and roll the casualty on the
ground until the flames are smothered.
• If nonsynthetic material cannot be obtained quickly,
get the casualty to the ground and have him roll on
the flame until it goes out.
– Do not use synthetic materials such as nylon and rayon
because they may melt and cause additional injury.
 REMOVE A CASUALTY FROM ELECTRICAL
CURRENT

• If the casualty is lying on an electrical wire, assume

the electrical wire is carrying electrical current and
can be a danger to yourself as well as to the
casualty.
– Do not touch the electrical wire with your hands.
– Do not touch the casualty since the current can pass from
the wire and through the casualty to you.
 REMOVE A CASUALTY FROM ELECTRICAL
CURRENT

• Stop the Current

• If the electrical current can be turned off quickly, such
as flipping a switch, turn it off before removing the
casualty from the wire.
– Treat the wire as though it were still carrying current even if
you think you turned off the current.
• If it is quicker to separate the casualty from the wire,
remove the casualty from the wire and administer aid
first.
 REMOVE A CASUALTY FROM ELECTRICAL
CURRENT

• Separate Casualty and Wire

• Two-rescuers: Slide a dry rope, dry clothing, or other
material which will not readily conduct electricity
under the casualty's body and lift the casualty from
the wire. Have a second person use a wooden limb
or other long, nonconducting object to push the wire
away from the casualty.
• One rescuer: Wrap dry rope or similar material
around the casualty limb or limbs and drag the
casualty away from the wire.
 REMOVE A CASUALTY FROM ELECTRICAL
CURRENT

• Check for Breathing

• Check the casualty's respiration after you have
separated him from the current. Administer mouth-to-
mouth resuscitation if needed.
 REMOVE CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE BURNS
• Liquid Chemicals
• Pour as much water as possible over the burned
area.
• If a sufficient amount of water is not available, use
any nonflammable fluid to flush the area.
• Dry Chemicals
• Use a clean, dry cloth to brush off loose particles on
the skin and flush the skin with as much water or
nonflammable liquid as possible.
– Do not flush dry chemicals unless water or other
nonflammable fluid is available in large amounts. When
combined with water, the chemical may change into an
active, burning substance.
 REMOVE CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE BURNS

• White Phosphorus
• White phosphorus burns when exposed to air.
Quickly smother the flame with water; then cover the
area with wet material or mud to prevent air from
reaching the white phosphorus. Keep the material
covering the phosphorus wet and occluded from air.
Get medical help or evacuate the casualty.
– Do not attempt to remove the white phosphorus particles
from the casualty's flesh.
– Do not use grease or oil on the white phosphorus burn since
they may cause the body to absorb the poisonous particles.
– Do not use copper sulfate.
 REMOVE CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE BURNS

• Fallout
• Brush off loose radioactive particles sticking to the
casualty's clothing and skin and flush the skin with as
much water as possible.
• Chemicals in the Eye
• Flush the eye with water as quickly as possible.
• Position the casualty's head with the eye to be
flushed lower than the other eye. This keeps
chemicals from the eye being flushed from flowing
into the other eye.
 REMOVE CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE BURNS

• Hold the casualty's eyelid open.

• Pour the water gently into the eye. Pour from the
inner edge of the eye (end closest to the nose) to the
outer edge.
• Continue to flush the eye with water for at least 20
minutes.
 TREAT RADIANT ENERGY (LASER) BURNS
OF THE EYE
• Laser burns cause an immediate decrease in the
ability to see.
• Protect the casualty from additional exposure to the
radiant energy source and keep the casualty out of
bright sunlight.
• The casualty's eyes do not need to be bandaged, but
he may feel more comfortable if a dark cloth or loose
bandage is placed over his eyes if he does not need
to walk or continue to perform his mission. If a
bandage is applied, bandage only the involved eye.
• Evacuate the casualty when the mission allows.
 TREAT SKIN BURNS

• At the time of the burn, apply copious amounts of

water to the burn site.
• Expose Burned Area(s)
• Cut and gently lift away any clothing covering the
burned area.
• Do not pull clothing over the burned area.
• Leave any piece of clothing that sticks to the burned
area in place.
– If you are in a chemical environment, do not expose the
wound. Apply the dressing over the casualty's clothing.
 TREAT SKIN BURNS

• Remove Jewelry
• Remove any jewelry from the burned limb and put it
in the casualty's pocket. The jewelry which is not
removed now may have to be cut off later if the limb
swells sufficiently.
• Dress and Bandage Burned Area(s)
• Apply a field dressing over the burn wound and
secure the dressing using the attached tails.
• If the burn is an electrical burn, find and dress both
the entry and the exit burn wound. The sole of the
foot is a common location for the exit burn.
 TREAT SKIN BURNS

• If the burned area is large, use the cleanest material

available to cover the burned area.
• Do not try to clean the burned area before applying
the dressing.
• Do not apply any grease, ointments, or medications
to the burned area.
• Do not break any blisters that have formed.
• Check for Shock
• Fluid lost through burns is a cause of shock.
 TREAT SKIN BURNS
• Take appropriate measures to prevent shock or
control shock.
– If the casualty has second and third degree burns on 20
percent or more of his body, fluids should be administered
intravenously.
• If the casualty is not in shock and is not nauseated,
give him small amounts of cool water to drink.
• Get Medical Help
• Seek medical help or evacuate the casualty, if
practical.
• Electrical burns can be far more serious than they
first appear since most of the damage is done to the
interior of the body.
 GIVE FIRST AID FOR BURNS

CLOSING

A casualty with serious burns should receive

intravenous fluids and be evacuated as soon as
possible. If the burns to the skin are minor, the
casualty should be evaluated by a medical person
when possible since the burn is an open wound
which can easily become infected if not treated.

This lesson is tested on the written examination.

Questions