Health Issues Related to Wildfires and Firestorms
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Dr. Frank Bia, an expert in infectious diseases and international health, joined AmeriCares after a 30-year career at the Yale University School of Medicine, where he served as Professor of both Medicine (Infectious Diseases) and Laboratory Medicine (Clinical Microbiology). He was also co-director of the Yale/Johnson & Johnson Physician Scholars in International Health Program for young physicians training at Yale and elsewhere.
Read Dr. Bia's Bio > |
AmeriCares responded to wildfires in southern California in 2007 and 2003, providing bottled water and snacks for the first responders, partnering with The Family Resource Center for distribution.
Injury-Causing Factors:
- Smoke and dust exposure
- Toxic combustion elements (carbon monoxide, hydrogen cyanide gas, hydrochloric acid)
- Wild animal contact: bites, stings
- Environmental stresses: heat, cold
- Blunt trauma
- Exacerbation of chronic medical conditions
- Psycho-emotional stress
Common injuries experienced during and after wildfires:
- Due to high levels of physical exertion, heart attacks are common among firefighters and those with underlying cardiovascular conditions.
- Burns
- Airway injury: Contact with superheated air and inhalation of smoke brings the risk of respiratory tract injury. Those with previous respiratory conditions like asthma, bronchitis and emphysema are at greater risk.
- Heat stress and heat stroke
- Corneal abrasions (injury to eye surfaces)
- Snakebites, stings, poison ivy and poison oak
- Cuts, scrapes, and lacerations (torn or ragged wounds)
- Mental health issues
Important medical supplies during and after wildfires:
- Fluids: treatment of heat stress and heat stroke requires oral or intravenous repletion of lost fluids
- Safety equipment for firefighters: hard hat, safety goggles, brightly-colored clothing, leather boots and gloves, and canteens. Personal fire shelters have been shown to reduce the number of deaths and serious injury.
- Medicines (such as antibiotics) and supplies for the injuries mentioned above.
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AmeriCares is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. AmeriCares Federal Identification Number (EIN) is 061008595.
