Scout suffers severe burns

[fgoodwin]

Scout suffers severe burns

 

 

http://tinyurl.com/2my9qa

 

08/09/2007

By Josh Krysak , Herald-Standard

 

WHARTON TWP. - A Maryland boy is recovering in a Pittsburgh hospital after suffering severe burns in an accident on a Boy Scouts camping trip Wednesday in Farmington.

 

Emergency officials said the 13-year-old Gaithersburg, Md., boy sustained second- and third-degree burns on more than 50 percent of his body.

 

Rick Adobato, director of Fayette EMS, said the teen was apparently boiling water to wash dishes when the accident occurred just after 8:30 a.m.

 

The boy's identity was not released.

 

According to Adobato, emergency crews were called to Heritage Reservation on Heritage Road for a report of a boy burned while washing dishes.

 

Adobato said crews found the boy with severe burns to his face and other areas of his body.

 

He said it appeared the teen and other Boy Scouts were working to heat a large pot of water over a campfire to clean dishes with.

 

Adobato said the teen lifted the pot from the flames, took a step backward and then stumbled, spilling the scalding water on his face and body.

 

Emergency crews from Fayette EMS and Farmington Volunteer Fire Department prepared to set up a landing zone near the campground for a medical helicopter, but stormy weather forced personnel to drive the boy to Uniontown Hospital, Adobato said.

 

He was then flown from Uniontown to the West Penn Hospital Burn Center for treatment. Information about his condition was not available.

 

Heritage Reservation is described on the Pittsburgh Council of the Boy Scouts of America Web site as the "crowning jewel" of Boy Scout facilities in the northeastern U.S.

 

The reservation, which includes three camping areas, meeting facilities and nine permanent shelters also is home the 270-acre Lake Courage.

[John-in-KC]

There are lessons for Scouters to learn here, especially so for body size and strength in relation to the object lifted.

 

Other lessons include site selection for the troop/patrol kitchen!

[Eamonn]

The Lad, his family and Troop members are in my prayers.

Here is this part of SW -PA (I live about 30 miles from Heritage Reservation and know Rick Adobato from him helping me when I was looking after Day Camps)We have had a day of very nasty storms and flooding.

Ed knows more about the way the camp sites are laid out than I do.

One thing I do try to stress to anyone moving anything hot is to make sure you know where your going to put it.Make sure there is room and the space is clear.

Ea.

 

 

 

[evmori]

So sad!

 

I don't know the facts but this was probably at Camp Liberty which is the Boy Scout patrol cooking camp. There are a lot of sites that are very rocky. It would be interesting to know which site this occurred in.

 

Each site is provide with a 3 burner propane stove per patrol. Sounds like these Scouts were heating their dish water over the fire in the fire circle in their site instead of using the stove. It is also very possible this is the 1st time this Troop has been to Heritage.

 

So sad. Prayers for the Scout!

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[kenk]

Can boiling water result in 3rd degree burns?

[GernBlansten]

Kenk, kinda.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_(injury)

 

Usually, scalding is classified as a second degree burn. However, if the burn is especially deep, it could be a 3rd degree.

[Eagle69]

Deja Vu. I have had this exact scenario happen to me, fortunately with a different outcome. We were on a backpacking trip and the young man pulled a pot of water that had been boiling on a backpack stove onto his foot. Another scout saw it happen and immediately took the injured boy to the creek and had him put his foot in it. We treated for shock and kept an eye on him, fully prepared to hike out to the car and go for help, but didn't have to. The doctor told his parents later that the older scout taking him to the creek was the best thing that could of happened. It took the heat out of the burn and kept it from being worse than it was.

[grayray]

Kenk, yes, boiling water can cause 3rd degree burns. 1st degree burns are minor and only on the surface, like a sunburn. 2nd degree burns are also on the surface but cause blisters. 3rd degree burns go deeper into the layers of the tissue. The difference between 1st and 3rd degree burns can be as little as how deeply the tissue is burned. Water only has to be about 140 degrees or hotter to cause a burn, it doesnt have to be boiling. The scout spilled the hot water on himself. His clothing would retain the hot water long enough to cause the sever burns.

 

Evmori, this almost definitely happened at camp Liberty. Ive camped there for the last 15 years, in fact I was there the week before this happened. The other camps at Heritage have dining halls. Liberty is the only one where the scouts would be doing dishes.

 

I hope the scout recovers quickly without any permanent damage or disability.

 

Ray

 

[evmori]

grayray,

 

I knew that. Been camping at Heritage for over 20 years! Thanks.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10