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Burns
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Unfortunately, burns are one of the most common lesions in excursions. The undue manipulation of fuel and kitchenettes, overheated table oil or hot saucepans provokes, easily, these painful experiences. Bad weather induces to cook inside narrow, two-person tents, where boiling water can easily spill out of the swaying kitchenettes, or even the tent could burn completely. We once lived, personally, through the experience of an exploding gas cartridge at the foothills of mount Aconcagua and we witnessed how fast a tent can burn.
Burns are classified in four degrees. In the first degree, the most external layer of the skin reddens, provoking pain; typical of sunburns. In second degree burns, additional blisters appear. In third degree burns, all the layers of the skin are irremediably destroyed (necrosis) and can only be treated with skin transplants. The fourth degree is made evident by the carbonization of the concerned body areas. Burns that affect more than 15% of the body can, additionally, cause shock accompanied by high pulse and low blood pressure.
Measures
If a person is burning, the fire must be immediately put out with water or a mantle or blanket. Then, the heated tissue must be cooled down, if at all possible with abundant clean, not-too-cold water. When the burns affect extended areas of the body, attention must be put not to allow the body to cool down too much. A general cooling of the wounds can lower the degree of the burns considerable. The burnt pieces of clothes that detach easily from the wound must be taken out; the ones that are strongly adhered must be left that way, cutting the piece around the wound. Then, loosely bandage the wounds with aluminum-covered bandages to protect them from the germs. Never burst the blisters. If burns cover more than 9% of the body surface, the injured must be immediately evacuated by air. As an example, 9% corresponds to the surface of a hand. |
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