[Experiences of early management of mass burn casualties]

Inquire into the effective method of treatment to mass burn casualties.

The experiences of 22 batches of mass burns (403 cases) were reviewed.

1. The receiving hospital should take effective measures for initial care, and report to the higher health department. 2. Health department should send additional specialists to the hospital if necessary, and a leader should be appointed. 3. Ambulances with special pass or helicopter should be deployed to ensure dispatch of the helpers. 4. Emphasis on local hospital's initial treatments, including fluid resuscitation, establishment of an adequate airway, early wound management to prevent and premature dissolution of eschar. 5. Proper triage of patients, and severe burn patients should be hospitalized to burn units with adequate facilities. 6. Transportation: Patients can be transferred along where there are good transportation facilities, with fluid resuscitation, on the other hand, when transportation if poorly developed, transfer the patients after fluid resuscitation until the general condition becomes stable.

1. Mass burn casualties can be handled with satisfactory results if emergency care and professional treatment are well organized. 2. Mass burn casualties are usually caused by human errors, therefore they can be prevented.