FIELD AIDBuddy aid · 1 h to care
emergency

Serious burns

Large, deep, face, hands, or airway burns

1 h to careBuddydelayed

Life threat — do the NOW steps before anything else.

Step 1 of 5 · now

Stop the burning

Get them out. Roll on the ground. Smother flames with a blanket (not nylon that melts). For chemicals: brush off dry chemical, then lots of water for 15–20 minutes. Protect yourself.

Use: Blanket / hypo wrap or Drinkable water or Clean water / saline — you marked this in kit

0:20
When this applies · do not
  • Burns bigger than the casualty’s palm × 10, or any full-thickness (white/leathery/painless)
  • Face, airway, hands, feet, groin, or around a whole limb
  • Chemical or white phosphorus
  • Soot in mouth, singed facial hair, hoarse voice — airway burn

Red flags

  • Hoarse, drooling, or swollen face: airway can close. Sit up, evac immediately.
  • White phosphorus: smother with wet cloth, keep wet, pick off particles under water. Do not use it as a story later — it reignites in air.

Do not

  • Do not put ice, butter, toothpaste, or grease on burns.
  • Do not peel stuck clothing off — cut around it.
  • Do not pop large blisters.
  • Do not use a tight wet wrap that then freezes them — after a short cool, keep them warm.

Field aid tool — not a diagnosis, not a medic, not your unit’s official protocol. When a trained medic or doctor is there, follow them.