First Aid for Burns

Imagine these scenarios:

She was working at home, frying something, as usual- when someone called her, she left in a hurry slipped and her hand dipped right in the boiling oil. His kid rushed in and found that her hand was badly burnt and her attire had caught fire.

A young boy was bursting crackers, in the excitement to check if the crackers has actually been lit, gone too near and the cracker has blasted very near to him, causing severe burns.

Do these stories have a happy ending?

Maybe it does – if someone follows the procedures to administer the first aid for burns and gets the immediate help needed in cases of emergency; call the nearest ambulance service for a speedy access to medical health care.

What are the steps for the administering first aid for burns?

• Put out the fire by using blankets or making the person “stop drop and roll” – try and move the person away from the source of the fire, mitigate the chances of it by spreading.
• Remove the clothing such as belt or jewelry, that can catch fire, since fire can catch on very fast.
• Make sure the person is does not panic – keeping the person calm can mean the world of difference, since the aspect of fire and burns have a deep psychological impact that can last for a long time as repressed fear.
• Check if the burns are severe or just a minor burn –
• If in case the burn is a minor one – make sure the affected area is washed with cool flowing water for about ten minutes.
• Cover the area with sterile, non-adhesive bandage.
• If the burn is a lot more serious with infection, pain and redness, swelling – please contact the doctor to assess the situation and get treatment.

Now that you know how the story here could have been a happy ending, it is important to note that we should not keep our phones near the stove when using the LPG gas cylinders, play with fire during festivals like Deepavali, be careful while travelling or lighting the crackers.

But here are somethings that could have been a little away from the happy ending,If first aid had done these steps:

• Rub the area of the burn while washing – this exposes the burn and may cause further infections in the long run.
• If there are blisters that are formed due to the fire, then please do not try and open it, it is best to let the blisters open on their own, when they do – clean the affected area with a clean towel and apply a sterile, non-adhesive bandage to the affected area.
• Do not apply ointments, butter, ghee or ice on the affected area – this can cause further complications rather than provide a quick solution to the burn and the pain.
• Do not opt for self-treatment if the burns are too severe.

Apart from the first aid,

1. if you see that the injuries from the burn are severe, with the burn penetrating all the layers of the skin,
2. If the affected person is a senior citizen or an infant,
3. If the burns are on the face, feet and the genitals,

Also Read: Importance of First Aid

Please do contact the emergency services and consult a doctor as soon as possible. VMEDO helps you get access to emergency medical transportation with its fleet of private ambulances in its network, with an aim to make healthcare in India easily accessible and affordable. Also download the VMEDO app on the Google Play store for more detailed information on the first aid recommendations for a variety of accidents that can happen.

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