Chapter Four - Emergency Procedures

Burns

1. The severity of a burn depends on:

• How deep it is.

• How much of the body it covers.

• Where on the body it is located.
  (4 critical areas:  hands, feet, face, and genitals.)
  

2. First aid for burns is provided to relieve pain, reduce the chance of infection by preventing contamination, and to reduce likelihood of shock.

3. First degree burns involve only the surface layers of skin, there are no blisters, only mild swelling, and skin may appear slightly reddened.
   Care to provide:

• Relieve pain by cooling burn:  immerse in cold water until pain is reduced.

• Pat dry with clean gauze.

 

4. Second degree burns involve under layers of skin, small blisters may appear, and it will hurt and swell more than a first degree burn.
   Care to provide:

• Relieve pain by immersing burn area in cold water immediately.

• Cover with a thick, sterile dressing.  Dry, insulated cold packs may be used over the dressing for added comfort.

• Threat for shock, elevate burned extremities if this will not cause further injury (ie: do not raise limbs if you suspect a fracture).

 

5. Third degree burns involve complete loss of all skin layers and can result in deep tissue (bone, muscle) damage.  Skin may appear ashy white or black and charred.  Nerve endings may be destroyed so pain may be absent.
   Care to provide:

• DO NOT put water directly on an open burn to cool it - this may intensify shock reaction.

• Cover with a thick, sterile dry dressing and bandage.  Use cold, dry packs over dressing to cool area (unless weight of pack causes pain).

• Treat to prevent shock - elevate burn areas, give water by mouth if conscious.

• Get medical help.

Chemical Burns

Chemicals can cause an allergic reaction on skin, can be absorbed by skin, or can burn skin.  Some chemicals will cause burns on surface areas almost immediately, while others may have a delayed effect and result in damage to deeper structures.  For this reason it is important to provide first aid care for all chemical exposures, whether they seem serious immediately or not.

First aid for chemical burns on the skin:

1. Wash away chemical with water by using a shower, hose, drinking fountain, or any other source of running water - do this for 5 minutes.
2. Remove all clothing on which the chemical has spilled.  This should be done while rinsing the area, regardless of how deep the burn may be.
3. Apply a clean, dry dressing to the area and get medical help.

Chemical burns on the eye:

1. Flush eye with water for 15 minutes, holding both lids open and pouring water from inner corner to outer corner.
2. Remove contact lenses before or while flushing eye with water.
3. Lift off any loose chemical particles that may be floating on the eye surface with a corner of sterile gauze.  Do not remove particles embedded in the eye.
4. Immobilize the eye with gauze pad and bandage both eyes.  Get medical help immediately.

Chemical burns on face:

Treat this as you would chemical burns to skin and...

1. When there are burns on the face, you should suspect the possibility of burns in the breathing passages.  Such burns can cause swelling and my obstruct breathing passages.  Such burn can cause swelling and may obstruct breathing.
2. Have victim sit up of prop up victim; monitor breathing.
3. Initiate mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if breathing ceases.

Last Update: 2006-09-21