By: Gail E. Kirkland
Beneath his sweet smile and beautiful blue eyes lies a painful memory. Beneath his plaid shirt and khakis lies layer upon layer of gauze bandaging. As we sat and chatted with his mom, dad and kindergarten teacher, 6-year-old Colin Howard calmly summed up his frightening experience: “My dad has this torpedo heater . . . I accidently backed up too close and I caught on fire.”
Dad (Jim Howard) had fired up the heater in the garage on Christmas Eve because Colin wanted to enjoy his new bicycle, while his dad grilled pork chops outside. It happened within a matter of minutes, two minutes to be exact. Thankfully, Colin instinctively did what he had practiced at school: Stop, drop & roll. Asked how he knew to do that, Colin said rather matter-of-factly, “I remembered I had to stop, drop & roll, and I did it. I said it a thousand times kind of . . . when I was here in class, a fireman came in and told me.”
Risk Watch was initiated this year at the Lourdes K-3 campus. The fireman Colin spoke of had visited the campus early in the school year, discussing fire safety with each grade level. Ironically, an article appeared in Time magazine about fire safety before Christmas break, and Colin’s teacher, Krystal Flowers, chose to use it as a review. “For him to actually do this (stop, drop & roll) is amazing,” Ms. Flowers said. “It just happened to be in that magazine.” Can you say providential?
As his dad said, you’d be surprised how many grown men fail to remember what they’ve been taught about fire safety, much less a child.
En route to Kosair Children’s Hospital in Louisville via ambulance, the attending EMT told Colin how brave and smart he was to remember to stop, drop and roll. With a serious expression, Colin admitted that he had “messed up.” He had forgotten to cover his face. Can you say precious?
The Owensboro Fire Department had asked the school’s principal to allow them to present the Risk Watch program to students four times during the year: October, December, March and May. She agreed. Parents received information about the program by way of a handout. That handout describes Risk Watch as “a comprehensive curriculum designed to give children in preschool through grade eight the information and support they need to make positive choices about their personal safety and well-being.” In addition to fire and burn prevention, the program addresses motor vehicle safety; choking, suffocation and strangulation prevention; poisoning prevention; falls prevention; firearms injury prevention; bike and pedestrian safety; and water safety.
An added benefit and positive extension of Risk Watch occurs when the information learned is taken home and shared with younger siblings, as well as moms and dads.
Colin’s teacher did not immediately connect what had been studied and practiced with what Colin actually did. “Two and two never went together for me . . . I just thought ‘what a smart boy’ . . . now I really understand the importance of such a program,” Ms. Flowers said.
Classmates have also benefitted from Colin’s experience. He stopped by school for a pep rally recently, and the kids were thrilled to see him. His real-life experience has made a major impact on them, as he has missed at least six weeks of school. He hopes to be released to go back to the classroom soon.
Colin was hospitalized 26 days—with first-, second- and third-degree burns across his lower back and buttocks (10 percent of his body). He has undergone multiple skin grafts, which have been 100 percent successful. His long-term prognosis is very positive, with little scarring expected. He still gets blisters, but that’s part of the healing process. He continues bandaging, using salves and other medicinal compounds to ease the pain and promote healing.
Colin’s dad was allowed to ride in the ambulance with him to Kosair, with his mom (Tonia) and other relatives following closely behind. Jim said that he was so torn up that it was critical for him to share that ride with his son. “When you see your kid on fire and fall forward, well, my heart just stopped . . .”
When Colin fell forward, Jim started patting the fire out, removed the burned clothing and took him immediately to the emergency room. He decided to not put water on the burns for fear of infection. Living on Graham Lane, his dad knew he could drive to the hospital in less time than it would take first responders to arrive.
That night, Colin was wearing cotton jeans and a cotton shirt. He had not put on his jacket, which is primarily polyester, a material that melts instead of burns. Therein lies another blessing. If he had worn the jacket, his burns would have been considerably worse.
Colin never seemed to lose his sweet sense of humor. As he described what had happened to his mom, he told her that his butt was hot and the ground was cold—ha!!!
“I knew it was bad, because he (Jim) said he could see his skin . . . Colin was being quiet, and it was kind of scary . . . I knew he was going to be OK, but I also knew he was going to have a lot of pain . . . ” Tonia said.
To their surprise, Santa came to see Colin at Kosair. “I got a toy (remote control) Jeep, and I got an iPod Touch,” Colin said enthusiastically. Both Tonia and Jim praised the doctors and staff in Louisville and Owensboro alike for their swift action, compassion and professional care. Colin underwent emotional therapy at Kosair, which was extremely helpful, according to both parents.
Doctors expect a full recovery. Within two months, Colin hopes to be riding his bicycle again. Sitting too long is uncomfortable. He prefers lying on his stomach. His teacher was quick to offer that as a possibility in the classroom, which features an area rug and pillow pets. The family is grateful for the strength and support Colin has received at school and beyond. “Everyone wants to know how this little guy is doing,” Ms. Flowers said.
What happened to the torpedo heater, the 35,000 BTU culprit that shoots fire within its canister? “My first impulse was to destroy it,” Jim said. Colin wanted to burn it in a brush fire. Colin’s grandfather had a different idea.
“He’s a daddy’s boy and loves doing mechanical stuff . . . He now has a perimeter marked off around the heater,” said Jim, acknowledging that since Colin loves the outdoors, he was bound to encounter another torpedo heater in his lifetime. The ruling principle: You have to get back on the horse that threw you.