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"Study Results From
University of Alabama Update Understanding of Burn Care"
"Pet Therapy Helps
Burn Victims"
"Burn Victim Becomes
'Honorary' Shriner"
"Burn Camp Helps Heal
Emotional Scars, Says Survivor"
"Fire Fighters Rally
for Burn Survivors"
"Former OSU Burn
Patient Helps Another in Recovery"
"Hoosier Burn Camp
Allows Fun for Kids"
"Research From F.
Izquierdocubas and Colleagues Has Provided New Data on Nosocomial Infections"
"Frigidaire Canada
Recalls Kenmore Wall Ovens Due to Fire and Burn Hazards"
"Local Firefighters
Paddle 1,000 Miles for Children's Hospital"
"Shriners Vets Reunite,
Reminisce"
"Why State Wants
Fire-Safe Cigarettes"
"Cold Running Water
Still the Best First-Aid Treatment for Burns"
"Study
Results From University of Alabama Update Understanding of Burn Care"
Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week (06/15/08) P. 380
A study
from researchers at the University of Alabama offers some information on
burn care. Acute alcohol (EtOH) intoxication worsens postburn intestinal
and lung tissue damage, and this is neutrophil dependent. "Altogether,
these findings provide a new insight into the mechanisms by which HO-1
regulates neutrophil O(2) (-) production and protect[s] the intestine from
damage following EtOH and burn injury," according to X. Li and
colleagues.
"Pet Therapy Helps Burn Victims"
Galveston Daily News (06/08/08) Daughtry, Shannon
More
four-legged friends are visiting Shriners Burns Institute in Galveston,
Texas, thanks to Pet Partners, which brings animals to visit patients. Cats
and rabbits have stopped by in the past, but a golden retriever named
Maggie and a great Dane named Luke are now the most frequent visitors.
"The dogs give the kids a sense of empowerment," said Christine
Neugebauer, a music therapist at Shriners hospital. "Knowing they can
do something as simple as walking the dog around the unit really brightens
these kids days." The dogs had to become certified before being
allowed to visit the hospital on a regular basis. "They had to go
through a skills test that tested basic obedience and how well the dogs
worked with food," said Becky Thomas, who owns the golden retriever.
"They were also screened with an aptitude test that put the dogs in a
simulation similar to a hospital setting to determine their comfort
level." Maggie and Luke have encouraged children who have a hard time
walking and bonded with kids who are introverted and noncommunicative.
"The dogs motivate them and give them something to focus on rather than
the pain," said Thomas.
"Burn Victim Becomes 'Honorary' Shriner"
Herald-Citizen (06/08/08) Trotter, Megan
Burn
survivor Rachel Tollett, 23, has been granted honorary membership in the
Shriners fraternity. As an honorary member Tollett volunteers with the
organization, votes at meetings, and serves on the local event committee in
Putnam County, Tenn. Tollett's connection to the Shriners began when she
was just four years old. She was so severely burned that doctors at the
local hospital had essentially given up. But the little girl and her family
refused to admit defeat. Her family took her to a Shriners burn center in
Cincinnati. There she was nursed until she was well enough to undergo the
first of many surgeries. Although Tollett's mother had insurance, the
hospital, which is run completely on public donations and Shriner
fund-raising efforts, refused to allow them to pay. This remained the case
for as long as Tollett was treated at the hospital, where she returned each
summer for further surgeries until she was 18 years old. Although Tollett
and her family praised the state-of-the-art treatment she received, Tollett
says it was the Shriner's loving, accepting attitude that helped her most.
In fact, Tollett was so moved by her experience, she now works as a
licensed practical nurse at NHC Healthcare. "I don't even remember the
pain because they took care of us so well," she says. "I want
that. I want to do that. I want to make that happen for other people."
"Burn Camp Helps Heal Emotional Scars, Says Survivor"
Western Star (Canada) (06/07/08) Hurley, Cory
For
children disfigured by fire-related accidents, burn camp is an essential
part of the healing process, according to experts. Michael Gaultois, a
17-year burn survivor and representative for Newfoundland and Labrador at
the Cape Breton Fire Fighters Burn Care Society's Atlantic Burn Camp, says
camp is the one place where children can address their emotional wounds in
a supportive setting while also healing from their physical wounds.
"The emotional scars [are as devastating to the victim as the physical
scars they receive and] … often last a lifetime," Gaultois says. The
emotional scars "are not the ones that are visible on the surface.
That's why the [burn camp] camp was designed, to help kids in their
emotional journey." With enrollment down on the West Coast, Gaultois
believes there are burn survivors from west Newfoundland who would benefit
from attending the Atlantic Burn Camp but who may not know about it. The
Atlantic Burn Camp is scheduled for Aug. 17-24 in Cape Breton, N.S.
"Fire Fighters Rally for Burn Survivors"
Victorville Daily Press (CA) (06/02/08) Thatcher, Patrick
Members
of the Victorville (Calif.) Fire Department, a paid-professional
department, recently participated in the 12th annual Firefighters Quest for
Burn Survivors. As the Quest passed through Victor Valley, Calif., just
four hours and two stops into the event, $40,000 had already been raised.
The Quest will continue to make stops throughout Southern California to
raise funds for fire fighters who are burn survivors. According to Fire
Chief Pete Lawson, the area coordinator for the event, these funds are
essential to cover costs not met by insurance and workers' compensation.
"Former OSU Burn Patient Helps Another in
Recovery"
Columbus Dispatch (OH) (05/30/08) Crane, Misti
Travis
Wolf was treated at Ohio State University Medical Center after his calves
were burned when he slipped at the Kroger grocery store bakery where he
worked and hit his leg against a broken pipe. Now, he is helping other burn
survivors. He is the first Ohio State burn patient to participate in a
program called SOAR, or Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery.
Individuals participating in the program, whether they are survivors or
loved ones, undergo thorough training in peer support before working with
any other burn survivors. The Phoenix Society launched the peer support
endeavor in 2001.
"Hoosier Burn Camp Allows Fun for Kids"
Journal and Courier (Indiana) (05/29/08) Brown, Lakin
More
than 60 adolescent burn survivors in Indiana recently attended the Hoosier
Burn Camp at Camp Tecumseh. Children between the ages of 8 and 18
participated in the weeklong camp for free, thanks in large part to
donations from fire fighters throughout the state. Hoosier Burn Camp
combines traditional outdoor activities, such as horseback riding, fishing,
and swimming in the lake, with other activities for children. "One
thing I think that helps develop self-esteem is if they learn something
that's cool or unique or a little bit different than maybe some of their
peers," says Mark Koopman, executive director of the camp. At the same
time, the young campers have an opportunity to heal psychologically and
emotionally, and make empowering personal connections with others.
"Research From F. Izquierdocubas and Colleagues
Has Provided New Data on Nosocomial Infections"
Disease Prevention Week (05/27/08) P. 259
Recent
research from Cuba has provided new information about nosocomial infections
(NI) in hospitals, based on a 2004 prevalence study that followed up on a
previous prevalence study in 1997. "The highest rates were found in
intensive care, intermediate care and burn units," the researchers
reported. "The most frequent NI was surgical site infection, whereas
the number of urinary tract infections remained low." The most
commonly isolated pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas
spp., while cephalosporins and aminoglycosides were the most often used
antibiotics for treating nosocomial infections.
"Frigidaire Canada Recalls Kenmore Wall Ovens
Due to Fire and Burn Hazards"
US Recall News (05/21/08)
Frigidaire
Canada has issued a recall of Kenmore Wall Ovens due to fire and burn
hazards. The company has received 16 reports of incidents involving gas
build-up on Kenmore 24-inch wide gas and propane wall-mounted ovens. Gas
buildup in the self-cleaning ovens reportedly led to fires that singed
consumers' hair and burned their hands and faces.
"Local Firefighters Paddle 1,000 Miles for
Children's Hospital"
Hampton Roads Daily Press (VA) (05/19/08)
Members
of the Virginia Beach Professional Fire Fighters Kayak Team are planning to
kayak up the Intracoastal Waterway to raise money for burn research. Fire
Captains Paul Gleaton and Ray Irizarry, and fire fighters Mark Sturgis and
Mark Hundley will attempt to raise $20,000 on a more than 1,000 mile trip
up the waterway for Shriner's Hospital for Children. Though Sturgis and
Gleaton made the same trip 10 years ago on a different team, the fire
fighters admit to some trepidation over making the journey. "My
concern now is doing this and being 10 years older," says Gleaton, now
47. For Sturgis, the main concern is to meet their fundraising target.
"My only concern is not raising $20,000," says Sturgis. "We can
make the rest of it happen." The fire fighters say they will cover the
cost of the kayaks and other equipment and supplies they will need for the
journey, including food, to ensure that all donations go to the hospital.
The team is scheduled to return by June 30.
"Shriners Vets Reunite, Reminisce"
Cincinnati Enquirer (05/18/08) Campbell, Polly
Shriners
Cincinnati Burns Hospital is an uncommon facility where care is free and
patients can stay as long as they choose. The hospital cares for children
who survive extensive burns, and 100 former patients recently returned to
the hospital for its 40th anniversary. "I was burned over 80 percent
of my body when I was 8 years old," said Mark Rodgers, the event’s
master of ceremonies. "But I came to a place that welcomed me with
open arms, a place I hated to leave." The hospital developed a
technique to grow skin in a petri dish using a small amount of donor skin.
The technique helped save the life of Danny Happy, who was burned over 95
percent of his body and likely would not have survived the burns before the
hospital was founded 40 years ago. Today he is 11 years old, and doctors
cite good emergency care at the scene, a leased Learjet that picked him up
and delivered him to Shriners, and the dedication of Shriners staff as
factors in his recovery. Staff at the hospital work in close teams of
doctors, nurses, therapists, teachers, social workers, and volunteers.
"The people who work here are amazingly committed," said Dr.
Richard Kagan, chief of staff at Shriners. "Even the people who mop the
floor feel like it's their hospital." The children develop strong
bonds with staff and other patients, which helps recovery.
"Why State Wants Fire-Safe Cigarettes"
Oklahoman (05/18/08) P. 17A; Painter, Bryan
Prompted
by investigations by Midwest City (Okla.) Fire Department fire marshal
Jerry Lojka, Oklahoma has adopted a law requiring retailers to sell only
"fire safe" cigarettes," which have bands that automatically
extinguish unattended cigarettes. Lojka spent the past six or seven years
investigating various fatal scenarios involving a smoker falling asleep and
the unattended cigarette then starting a fire. Based on those
investigations, he coordinated support for the legislation, which passed
the state House and Senate unanimously and has been signed by the governor.
Oklahoma is the 18th state to have passed such a law, and Lojka says,
"We will see it save lives, there's no doubt about it." An
unattended cigarette on a bed can start smoldering in just 10 to 12
minutes, he says, "and this process can take two hours or more for it
to go from smoldering to a full-blown fire." Unless the smoke detector
goes off and awakens the smoker, plenty of smoke is produced even before
the fire breaks out, putting plenty of carbon in the air that can fuel a fire.
"Cold Running Water Still the Best First-Aid
Treatment for Burns"
Hindustan Times (05/15/08)
Australian researchers state that running a burn
under cool water is still the best thing to do to treat it. Royal
Children's Hospital Burns and Trauma Unit director Roy Kimble recently
noted that water "lessens the depth of the burn, which speeds healing,
which in turn limits scarring." He added that several studies by the
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons have proven that water is better
than the majority of alternative remedies now available, including aloe
vera or tea tree products. He warned, however, against applying ice to
burns, because it could cause more damage than benefits. The Children's
Hospital at Westmead suggests that if children get burned, their parents
should put cold water on the burn for a minimum of 20 minutes. People who
use a cold wet cloth should run it under cold tap water each minute so that
the cloth stays cold.
The
inclusion of articles in the IAFF Burn Foundation Briefing does not imply
the IAFF or IAFF Burn Foundation's endorsement of their content nor any
particular organizations or programs highlighted in these articles.
Articles are intended to increase awareness of media coverage of topics
relevant to our community and are provided for informational purposes only.
© Copyright 2008 INFORMATION, INC.
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