Burns represent a perpetual threat in military combat and are a pervasive threat in the land, maritime and air arenas. Therefore, it is imperative that military clinicians are well versed in managing burns in order to ensure optimal survival and recovery. This article aims to explore the epidemiology, pathophysiology, assessment and early management of the burned patient with a focus on the austere maritime environment and current military guidance.

This article describes the involvement of trainees from anaesthetics, emergency medicine and pre-hospital emergency medicine during an exercise with the Command Forward Surgical Group. The exercise allowed for hands-on experience that cannot be gained in a civilian environment and is directly applicable to future deployments as military consultants. Exercising in the field with experienced consultants and the deployable medical modules encouraged the sharing of important speciality specific and multidisciplinary corporate knowledge.