Rolling Meadows crew commended for excellent burn care

A letter was submitted as a commendation from Northwest Community’s

Emergency Department commending a crew for service above what is

considered routine:

Recently, Rolling Meadows Fire Ambulance 16 transported a severely

burned patient to NCH (one of two burned patients that were transported

from a house fire).  Although the outcome for this patient was not as

hoped, RMFD 16 crew members Brian Wirtz and Ben Kamminga were

able to provide the highest level of care in a very difficult situation.

This patient had almost 100% full thickness burns to her body.  Their scene

time was 22 minutes and in that time Ben and Brian were able to place a

successful surgical cricothyrotomy; IO on scene and one enroute. With

IV fluids thru the IO’s, the blood pressure went from the 30’s to systolic of 98

120. Besides the fluids they did provide pain medication enroute. 

RMFD works as a team and, while not identified in the letter from the hospital

it is assured there were many helping care for This patient.

The Charge RN at NCH observed that she had rarely seen such a high

level of performance in such a challenging situation.  With 100% burns,

airway and IV access is typically very difficult and/or impossible.  This crew

quickly and decisively implemented the care necessary to give this patient

any chance of survival.  While paramedics they have been trained in burn

treatment procedures, it is not easy to perform those procedures in a patient

with 100% (approximate) full thickness burns.