I can’t believe we’re up to episode 6 of this rescue story series! If you haven’t already, I encourage to check out the other tramping rescue stories – you can find them under ‘Experiences/Reviews’ in the website’s menu banner. If you have a rescue you’d like to share with me, please get in touch – email me at hi.aliceadventuring@gmail.com
In this article, Elissa shares her tramping rescue tale about a (seemingly) straight forward trip to Peach Cove Hut with friends. She encounters a hazard that the majority of us face every time we go tramping, one that I bet you don’t even think twice about.
Warning: this article contains pictures of burns
Elissa’s Tramping Rescue Story
May 2017
Every year I plan a trip with the girls as one of our few group hikes. This year we chose an overnight trip to Peach Cove Hut in Whangarei Heads. It’s a gorgeous spot in Northland, and the view from Duke’s Nose is incredible.
We walked in to the hut as planned. The day was stunning and the view of the beaches was incredible. The next morning we all woke up early. A few of the girls headed down to the beach to take a look around. It was still dark, so I lit a candle on the wall (in one of the DOC candle holders), so the rest of us could have some light to start making breakfast.
I boiled a whole pot of water for breakfast and coffee. By the time it was bubbling away, it had started to get light. I decided I didn’t need the candle anymore, so I leant over the bench to blow it out. I think in this moment I was still a little sleepy and maybe just really not thinking? As I went to blow out the candle, I leant on the pot handle without realising. The whole pot of boiled water tipped down my right thigh and my foot.
In the moment I honestly didn’t really think much. It was one of those slow motion moments when you know something really bad has happened, but you freeze. I watched it happen, and then the pain hit me. I remember screaming, and within seconds whipping my thermal pants off and running straight out the door. You don’t really think of the correct procedure in those moments. I honestly couldn’t think straight.
First aid response
My entire thigh had peeled straight off and was full of blisters. The girls at the hut came running out after me and took charge straight away. Honestly they were so amazing. We knew we needed to cool the burn down, but the first hurdle we encountered was that there was no way to put cold water on my leg easily. The sink was tiny, there was no hose and nothing for me to sit in.
In the end, the girls had me sitting on a seat outside while they all grabbed their pots and made a human chain – filling pots of water from the tanks, passing them along and tipping cold water down my leg. One of the girls ran to the beach to grab the others because – and this is where I was lucky – two of those girls were nurses. A few of the girls had food wrapped in glad wrap, which was washed and then placed on my burns (so grateful for this as it helped so much with the pain).
Now this is where the part about learning a lesson comes in. We had no PLB to call for help. There was barely any cell service at the beach, but one of my nurse friends walked around and around until she managed to find some and could call 111. At this point I was adamant I was hiking out and there was no need to ring anyone, even though I was in an incredible amount of pain. But my friend liased with the operator and a helicopter was sent out.
Heli Extraction
The helicopter arrived but there was nowhere to land. It was decided I needed to be winched up into it. I was absolutely mortified at this point. I remember yelling and getting upset that I was not getting on the helicopter and I was definitely hiking out. Afterwards, I came to realise I was badly in shock and no painkillers were helping. I remember watching the helicopter come super low and destroying plants around the hut, I was so horrified and felt terrible.
Anyway, they eventually dropped a medic into the hut and he gave me gas (after this I would have done anything they asked ). He winched me up with him into the helicopter and I was flown to hospital.
This experience made me realise how important the right emergency equipment is just in case. If we’d had no cell service it could have ended so differently and we would have been in big big trouble. I never hike without a PLB now.
I am so so grateful for my friends. They took charge and did what needed to be done. I’m also very grateful to Northland Rescue Helicopters. They were amazing! So many people to be grateful for.
My wife doesn’t let me cook anymore. And I’m definitely not allowed to use the candles.
Treating burns in the backcountry
Boiling water, gas stoves, steam and open flames are very common burns hazard most of us will encounter while tramping. But have you seriously considered the risk? I often forget – once I get to the hut I feel safe.
Prevent
Like most injuries the key factor for burns is prevention. Be mindful when you’re using something that could potentially result in a burn – for most of us that means when handling cookers, boiling water and freeze-dried meal pouches.
Cool
Cool the burn as soon as possible. You want to limit further burning that can occur when the tissue is too hot. Cool (not cold) clean water running over the burn for 20 minutes is best. But do what you have to – whether that’s submerging in a stream or the sea, or alternating wet clothes every 30 seconds or so. Just don’t get hypothermic in your attempts to cool the burn.
Cover
Cover the burn with whatever clean item you have. Non-stick bandages are helpful, glad wrap/clingfilm works well too. Don’t wrap the burn tightly, just lightly cover.
Call for help
Ideally you’d have a PLB which you can use to call for help if the burn is serious (large area, deep, causing pain that can’t be managed by pain relief, or in a critical area).
Resources:
- University of Utah podcast (with transcription)
- REI article
- Wilderness magazine article
- St John website
Thanks for reading Elissa’s tramping rescue story. If you have a tramping rescue or emergency experience of your own that you’d like to share, then please get in contact either via Instagram or my email. Or if you have any feedback then please comment below or reach out!
Check out the other tramping rescue stories!
