The five kinds of burns, first aid for each, when to get help, the road to recovery, and where Arizona's burn centers are — aligned to the model of care at Banner and the Arizona Burn Center.
Burns aren't all the same — the cause changes the care. Here's what each is and the first thing to do.
Flame, steam, hot liquids (scalds), and hot surfaces — the most common, especially for kids.
Strong acids or bases — household cleaners, pool chemicals, industrial products.
Outlets, cords, faulty wiring, lightning — often far worse inside than the skin shows.
Superheated air, smoke, and toxic gases — a leading cause of burn deaths.
Freezing temperatures or contact with very cold surfaces damage tissue much like heat does.
The same simple sequence works for most burns — and every second counts.
Stop the burning — remove from the heat/source, "stop, drop & roll" for flames, and make the scene safe (cut power for electrical).
Cool running water for ~20 minutes (within 3 hours). Remove clothing & jewelry near the burn unless stuck.
Cover loosely with a clean, dry cloth or non-stick dressing. No ice, butter, or toothpaste.
Call 911 for serious burns. If the person isn't breathing, start CPR. When in doubt, get help.
These mirror the American Burn Association's burn-center referral criteria.
Modern burn care — like the model at Banner and the Arizona Burn Center — moves through four phases.
Airway, fluids to fight burn shock, and stabilizing the patient in the critical first hours.
Wound care, skin grafting, infection control, and critical-care management of the burn.
Physical & occupational therapy, pain and scar management, and rebuilding function.
Reconstructive/plastic surgery for scars, plus long-term physical and emotional support.
Where specialized burn care lives in our state — worth knowing in advance.
The first and only adult and pediatric burn center in Arizona verified by both the American Burn Association and the American College of Surgeons — and one of the busiest in the nation. A 50-bed, 72,000-sq-ft center with a dedicated burn emergency department and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, serving Arizona and surrounding states.
Full burn care for southern Arizona in partnership with the University of Arizona (Division of Trauma, Critical Care, Burn & Emergency Surgery). Services span initial evaluation and resuscitation, skin grafting and wound care, critical-care management, and reconstructive/plastic surgery for scars — with an inpatient burn unit plus a Burn & Complex Wound Care Clinic for follow-up.
bannerhealth.com — Banner-UMC Tucson Burn →An academic Level I trauma center with trauma, critical-care, and surgical services that support burn and complex-wound patients in the Phoenix metro through the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix.
bannerhealth.com — Banner burn services →To find the nearest verified burn center anywhere in the U.S., use the American Burn Association's directory at ameriburn.org.