# Public safety announcement....



## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

I wasn't going to post this, but then I changed my mind. 
On July 4th, we were having a nice family gathering, our annual rib burnoff, here at my house. Later on as it was getting dark, my older son, who just turned 21 a few days before, started to build a fire in the fire ring. With the fire already going, he decided to try and make it bigger. He had a half empty jug of some old fuel for radio controlled cars. He took off the cap and went to shake some at the fire and it exploded in his hand. He suffered second degree burns on his whole face, hands, most of his chest, both knees, and part of his right arm. He was life flighted to a hospital in Cleveland which has an excellent burn unit. Today he just had surgery for some skin grafts in some areas where the burns were a little deeper seated. Most of his burns have started to heal nicely. His face looks fine luckily. I can't even begin to describe the pain involved with the aftermath of an injury like this. I don't know if I could go through what he has. I think he has learned his lesson.
So, I have done it along with most other people I talked to. That is throwing accelerants on a fire, usually gasoline. Do yourself a favor and set some rules for campfires in your yard if you have kids or grandkids of that age. Absolutely no fuel for the fire other than wood, kindling, and newspaper. Keep a hose or a 5 gallon bucket full of water nearby, just in case. What started out as a nice family picnic turned into a sheer nightmare in a matter of seconds. 
My son's buddy and his buddy's girlfriend were also burned, but not nearly as bad. My son's prognosis is good. In about a month, he should be getting back to normal. He'll have a bunch of pink skin for the next year or so, but the docs said that should blend in over time. Thanks for listening,
Mike Hawkins


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## jdixon (Nov 21, 2007)

Wow Mike, So sorry to hear about your son. Glad it sounds as if there will be no long term issues. Man that has got to be a scary situation. Good advice you brought out here and something we should all remember. Thanks for sharing!

John


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Hey Mike I'm sorry to here that. I know I mentioned it before on here but I caught on fire years ago while in the Marines and can really understand what he's going threw. Ironically it was kind of the same thing I was working on a car and pouring gas in the carburetor. I would back up and tell the other guy to start it. Well he didn't wait and it backfired and the gas ignited. I had 1st and 2nd degree burns on my stomach,chest and arm and 3rd on my hand. I was told I would need skin grafts and that I would lose movement in my hand. I told the doctors that was a load of crap and I would be out the hospital in a week. Well one week to the day I left the hospital and and it took about 30 days after that before I could go back to work on light duty but I have no problems except it is still sensitive to heat and cold more then the rest of me. Point is I'm a true believer in the power of the mind healing and after that even more so. 

*I hope he has a speedy recovery* and that not just he learns a lesson but everyone should learn from things like this. I get a sick feeling every time I hear someone got burned especially when its most of the body and or small children. It only takes one slip up to change, ruin or end a life. Listen to what Mike said.

Oh Mike thanks for posting this I have a 15 year old that likes fires and him and his friends worry the hell out of me for this exact reason. (They sit aroud a fire at night just talking) I had him read this so he knows it's not just me. Of course this is the same boy that just got his jar unwired after breaking it, had a broken arm and cut the cast off twice, so anything to help get the point across is helpful. You know he's 15 and thinks he's indestructible and knows it all.


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## adauria (May 18, 2009)

Wow, terrible story and thanks for the reminder! Glad that your son seems to recovering well.

My mom used to be a nurse in a hospital burn unit. Horrible, horrible stuff. She quit the unit after a couple of years because so many of these accidents involve children (much younger than your son, of course). 1/2 the beds in the unit were for kids.

Here's wishing him a speedy recovery.

-Andrew


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## drcollins804 (Jan 11, 2008)

Mike
Hope everything continues to go well. My cousin did something similar during June burning a pile of brush in his back yard and just went back to work last week. His worst burns were on the front of his legs but also got his arms and some on his face. I think the Legs were the only place he had to have grafts. I know it is always handy because we keep it for mowers and other tools but NEVER use gasoline as an accelerant for a trash/brush fire. 
David


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

drcollins804 said:


> Mike
> Hope everything continues to go well. My cousin did something similar during June burning a pile of brush in his back yard and just went back to work last week. His worst burns were on the front of his legs but also got his arms and some on his face. I think the Legs were the only place he had to have grafts. I know it is always handy because we keep it for mowers and other tools but NEVER use gasoline as an accelerant for a trash/brush fire.
> David


 
Well I would have to add this After the fire is lit do not add any accelerant at all. It's not worth it.


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## rocklobster (Jun 18, 2008)

firehawkmph said:


> So, I have done it along with most other people I talked to. That is throwing accelerants on a fire, usually gasoline. Do yourself a favor and set some rules for campfires in your yard if you have kids or grandkids of that age. Absolutely no fuel for the fire other than wood, kindling, and newspaper. Mike Hawkins


Yes, I've done it, too, and I think just about everyone has been injured or had a close call or knows someone else that has. 

I'll definitely go with your advice when teaching my son. I hope your boy recovers well.

Rob


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## Leakygoose (Jan 19, 2009)

Thanks for sharing that terrible event. I hope your boy is doing much better by now. 

Yes we have all done the gas thing.
I live on three + aces and am kinda isolated down here so we have a lot of fires. My 18 year old and all his buddy's and girl friends have a big fire all the time . 
I always start the blaze for them and have showed them what gas dose by way of a down wind leader to the fire and when it goes ka boom I explain how dangerous it is ,even a shovel full of saw dust is dangerious on a hot fire,that made thier eyes light up . Propane torch is almost always the best fire starter for us.


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## jaros bros. (Feb 18, 2009)

I'm a little bit of a pyromaniac myself. That said, it's best to mix gasoline with used oil 50/50. You still need to use precautions but the mixture isn't nearly as explosive. Works great for lighting wet bonfires.

Most of the fiascoes on you tube seem to be alcohol related. Common sense goes a long way. Good to hear your son is healing up well.


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## nblumert (Oct 15, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your son, glad he is making a good recovery.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Thanks for all the kind words guys. My son will be coming home tomorrow morning (monday). He spent a total of two weeks at the hospital. He is off his pain meds today, so that was also good news. Just some more time at home for him to finish healing up is needed now. 
Mike Hawkins


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## frostr2001w (May 21, 2009)

I raised two boys and know how you feel. I always told my boys that I was glad they already knew everything, it would save me a bundle in college cost! They both turned out fine and eventually did realize there was a lot for them to learn.


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## Chad (May 10, 2009)

Sorry to here about the accident, I'm glad he's healing good.


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## Itchy Brother (Aug 22, 2008)

Mike,My heart goes out to him.These type of things would probably change my whole outlook on life.It makes me step back and do "what if's".Itchy


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## Allthumbs27 (Dec 25, 2008)

Mike, I had a bottle of RC fuel that was old so I put it in the middle of a burn pile and poured a fuel trail away from the pile. It was absolutely astonishing how flammable that stuff was. Hope your son is doing better.


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

AT,
He is doing very well now. It is amazing how much his burns have healed up already. He is getting ready to go back to work this coming wednesday. 
Mike Hawkins


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Good to here that Mike.


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