Before I get to the topic in the headline, here’s a quick story: As I’ve written about in past blog entries, even the most mundane situations inside the home can result in third-degree burns. Another example came to light this week in Worthington, VA, where a routine cooking accident severely…
Unfortunately, it seems that the month of February 2011 can be used by fire-prevention experts as a useful lesson in how human error and carelessness can bring devastating consequences, in the form of third-degree burns and smoke inhalation, from fires. First, in New York City on February 24, candles used…
It’s not even springtime yet, but the wildfire season has begun in the eastern U.S. Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina have experienced low humidity and little rain for a few months now. The result is that there are leaves, bushes, grass, and trees that can be easily ignited by…
A very informative and heart-warming story came from the local newspaper in Portland, Oregon last week, related to the difficult process of emotional healing for victims of disfiguring third-degree burns. The article explained the uplifting happenings that take place during a regular gathering of a group called Portland Burn Survivors…
Tom Kiurski is a lieutenant, a paramedic, and the director of fire safety education for the Livonia, Michigan Fire & Rescue. He’s written a book, “Creating a Fire-Safe Community: A Guide for Fire Safety Educators” as a guide for local fire departments to bring the safety message to their communities.…
For most people, food is a truly enjoyable part of life. But when people are careless with hot food, injuries can happen–even 3rd degree burns! For instance, just last week a couple filed suit in the California courts against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, claiming their young son suffered “severe…
The skin as any other organ in the body can be damaged like in second and third degree burns. If the damage is big enough the body can’t replace the skin. There are alternative ways to cover the injured area and one of the methods used is allograft which is…
The cold weather blanketing much of the United States in this first week of February is causing many incidents of fire as people try to keep warm. For instance, in suburban New York, five firefighters were hospitalized with smoke inhalation after battling a basement house fire. One of those firefighters…
Is a temporary skin substitute that is man made. It is a white stretchable dressing that is made from a silicone layer and a nylon fabric to which collagen has been chemically bounded. Biobrane is used to cover the site of a burn wound like second and third degree burns…
In a blog post about ten days back, I talked about the need to check your home for potential fire hazards on a regular basis. Red flags that come to mind right away are extension cords on carpets, space heaters too close to furniture or clothing, and candles left to…