Burn Severity

Published on: June 14, 2011

Wherever You Are, Have an Escape Route in Case of Fire

Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, there have been two terrible incidents where people were killed or suffered third-degree burns because they did not take the time to plan an escape route from a building in the event of a fire. What’s more, they did not have fire extinguishers nearby that could have saved them.

First, in Gettysburg, PA, three men suffered serious burns in a garage fire in late May. William Rexroth, Jerry Shultz and Randy Beck–all are around age 50–were in a garage working on vehicles when a fire broke out, according to Pennsylvania State Police. The garage door was closed, so it was difficult and time-consuming for them to get out, police said. They eventually broke out windows and escaped. All three suffered third-degree burns. Rexroth and Shultz were taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital and Beck was taken to the Johns Hopkins Burn Center.

Any time you are in a work area such as a garage, you must make sure that there is not only a clear escape route but also good air ventilation into the room so that if a fire does break out, you do not get overcome by smoke inhalation within seconds. Also, these men should have had a fire extinguisher nearby, as they were handling flammable liquids that were in and around the vehicles they were working on.

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Published on: June 7, 2011

Severe Burns and the Need for Safety Awareness At Workplaces

By Larry Kramer

In late May in Gallatin, TN, three workers were critically burned in a fire at a chemical plant where a flash fire in January had already killed two workers–one of whom succumbed to his third-degree burns just one week before this latest fire.

This most recent accident injured five workers, and was the third incident this year at the Hoeganaes Corp. plant. The facility employs about 175 people making metal powders for automotive and industrial uses. The two previous accidents occurred after flammable dust accumulated in the air and combusted, according to the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, which investigated the flash fires and released the findings two weeks ago.

In a news release, Investigator-in-Charge Johnnie Banks criticized the company for knowing of the danger the dust posed and not adequately addressing it. When his team inspected the plant, it found 2- to 3-inch layers of dust on surfaces throughout the facility and dust was visible in the air, according to the release. Banks is leading the investigation of the latest accident to determine its cause.

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Published on: June 2, 2011

A Burn Injury Survivor Becomes an Excellent Fundraiser–and Golfer

By Larry Kramer

A story on the pro-golf website www.PGATOUR.com caught my eye this week, and it has almost nothing to do with the golf that is being played by the top male professionals.

This past week in Irving, TX, a burn victim who has had 52 surgeries, and who has just five working fingers out of ten, and who was blind for eight months, and who had to undergo intensive therapy sessions just to walk, talk, and eat again, took on a central role in the HP Byron Nelson Golf Championship, a big event in pro golf. That man, Jason Schechterle, carried the golf bag for his high-school friend Ted Purdy, who is a pro golfer.

Ten years ago, such a role would never have been dreamed of by Jason, Ted, or any of his doctors. Back then, Schechterle was a rookie police officer in Phoenix. One night, his squad car was struck from behind by a taxi driver traveling more than 100 miles per hour. Schechterle’s car burst into flames and for eight agonizing minutes, he was trapped inside.

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Published on: May 31, 2011

To Avoid Severe Burns and Smoke Inhalation, Know How Fire and Smoke Behave

By Larry Kramer

On Thursday, May 26 in Belleville, NJ, a fire at the five-story Tudor Arms apartments resulted in the dramatic rescue of a 65-year-old woman, who was overcome by smoke and burns.

Belleville Fire Prevention Specialist Ralph Castellano happened to be near the five-story, 50-unit apartment building around 3:30 p.m. when the fire dispatch received a call from the burning building. Castellano immediately entered the building, and with the aid of Belleville police, alerted and evacuated the tenants.

Castellano encountered heavy smoke on the third floor, and without any protective gear or a breathing mask, made his way to the third-floor apartment where the fire was. He found the woman lying on the floor near the doorway.

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Published on: May 26, 2011

Good Neighbors Try to Protect Each Other From Severe Burns

By Larry Kramer

This past Sunday, a tragic fire took place at a home in Columbus, OH. According to The Columbus Dispatch newspaper, Tim Templin and his wife, Sandi, are next-door neighbors to Misty Hodge and Jamie Gillespie. The Templins had long worried about the safety of Hodge and Gillespie and their two children, all of whom lived in the run-down house next to theirs. Unfortunately, their worries came true when a toddler died in a fire there early yesterday, and the little boy’s sister nearly died too.

The poorly kept rental property wasn’t the primary cause of the fire that killed 2-year-old Josh Gillespie and left his 4-year-old sister, Abigail Hodge, clinging to life in Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. But the blaze, which started in a trash can on the front porch and was most likely caused by a smoldering cigarette, was fueled by the terrible condition of the house. Even worse, the home had no smoke detectors.

When firefighters arrived at 5:08 a.m., the home was engulfed and the two kids’ parents were outside, injured and hysterical. Hodge and Gillespie were awakened by the smell of smoke and went looking for the source. While they were outside investigating, the fire grew worse, spreading so quickly that Gillespie went back into the house but couldn’t get to the kids upstairs.

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Published on: May 25, 2011

Burn Survivors Need Help, and They Give Help Too

By Larry Kramer

Just last week in Albany, GA, an event took place that highlights how devastating burn injuries can be, especially to children. But it also gave burn survivors hope for their future, and the knowledge that people care about their recovery, both physical and mental.

Because many people who get burned can’t afford the doctors bills to help them recover as best as they can, the Albany Fire Department partnered with area businesses outside their local Sam’s Club to raise money for those victims. Dozens of kids got to enjoy races, games, music, and even free tours of the aerial truck.

But aside from all this fun is a more important message for those families who came just to be a part of the fundraiser and show support, even if they do not know a victim of severe burns. These folks also got to learn about how to make their homes and offices safe from fire, and how to plan an escape route at home and at work from fire and especially from often-deadly smoke inhalation when a fire does begin.

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Published on: May 19, 2011

New treatment for regulating body temperature and pain management in burn patients

By Larry Kramer

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced in mid-May that results from a clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of Caldolor (ibuprofen) given intravenously to treat fever and pain in hospitalized burn patients was published in Volume 32, Number 1 of the Journal of Burn Care & Research.

The study demonstrated that Caldolor significantly reduces fever in these patients, including those with severe thermal burns. The newly published study also supports the safety of Caldolor as it involved the highest dose and duration of exposure to IV ibuprofen to date, demonstrating that the recommended maximum daily dose of 3200 mg/day over five days of treatment was well tolerated.

“Immediate and sustained regulation of body temperature and reduction of fever following a burn injury is critical to patient recovery as well as comfort,” said Dr. John T. Promes, principal investigator of the study, Director of Trauma Services and Associate Director for Surgical Education at Orlando Regional Medical Center.

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Published on: May 17, 2011

With Children, the Risk of Severe Burns is Much Higher

By Larry Kramer

With the way that small children manage to get into everything, adults must be extra vigilant and careful when it comes to both fire safety and burn safety when kids are present.

Two stories from this past week make this point very clearly. First, in northwest Florida, Meigs County police say that a mom named Teresa Reed is in stable condition at the Joseph Still Burn Center in Augusta–but is very lucky to be alive.

Officers say a fire broke out around ten o’clock at night on May 11 in Reed’s apartment, and that it was started when Reed’s five-year-old son fell asleep after playing with matches.

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Published on: May 12, 2011

It’s Barbecue Season–And the Season for Severe Burns and Smoke Inhalation

By Larry Kramer

Even though barbecues are enclosed units and are used outside, the chance of suffering severe burns from careless use of them is high. The following story is prime evidence of that: According to the Naples Daily News in Florida, a 71-year-old woman was rushed to a Tampa hospital in early May with burns over almost 30 percent of her body after an outdoor grill caused a gas explosion at her home. She was very fortunate, however; by the next day she was recuperating at home.

An emergency call came in around 7 p.m. to the local fire department, and fire engines from the city of Naples Fire/Rescue Department reached the home less than seven minutes later. The responders found the patient seated and covered in wet towels.

A brief fire was caused by the gas explosion, but was out by the time responders arrived. They were able to cut off the gas supply to the grill. The woman was transported as a precaution by ambulance to the Tampa General Hospital Regional Burn Center, with first-degree burns reported on 22 percent of her body, and second-degree burns on five percent of her body, largely to her neck and her face.

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Published on: May 10, 2011

Tanning Too Often Can Cause Burns, and Even Cancer

By Larry Kramer

CBS News in New York ran a story this week about a new proposed law that would make New York the first state to ban indoor tanning for minors.

While this might seem to be a bit too much government intervention for some people, think about this: The issue is rising rates of skin cancer. A 2010 study found regular use of tanning beds can triple the risk for melanoma, the most deadly form of the disease. The risk was quadruple for people using high-pressure tanning beds, which give off more UVA radiation.

“It can be horrific,” said Harvey Weisenberg, who is sponsoring the bill in the state assembly. “This is a cancer-causing process. Teenagers do it for proms. They do it for special occasions. There is lots of evidence” of harm, he claims.

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