How to Treat a Burn in the Wilderness

Video Transcript

"You know a trip to the wilderness can be a pretty fun and exciting experience, except when an injury occurs. Hi, I'm Captain Joe Bruni and what I'm going to discuss and talk about is how to treat a burn injury in the wilderness. Burn injury treatment in the wilderness would be pretty much the same as treating a burn injury that occurs anywhere. However, you may not have certain items available to you in the wilderness to treat the burn injury. First and foremost, remove the person's jewelry or clothing from the burnt side area. And then, assess the depth and damage of the burn injury, first second or third degree. First degree would be reddening, second degree is blistering, third degree is tearing of the skin. If you have available water, clean the area with water and if soap or antiseptic is available, clean the area with soap or antiseptic. Apply some type of cool compress that is a little warmer than ice cold to avoid a cold injury occurring to the skin. Cold the are to reduce swelling and pain for periods of ten minutes on and ten minutes off, until pain and swelling are reduce. Then if you have available, some type of first aid kit in a backpack that is carried with you, apply some type of sterile dressing to the burn injury and wrap the area with some type of gauze. If sterile dressings and gauze are not available in the wilderness, then use some type of clean cloth and cover the are to reduce the chances of dirt and infection. A trip to the wilderness can be a pretty fun exciting experience when injury occurs. However, if you're prepared, injuries can be reduced and treated even in the wilderness. I'm Captain Joe Bruni, stay safe and we'll see you next time."