MILLERSVILLE, Md. - For the 96 hour period beginning at midnight on Friday, October 6th, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded to 1,085 incidents.
Incidents on Monday, October 9th:
The department responded to 299 incidents (daily average is 228).
Pedestrian Struck Annapolis
A pedestrian suffered critical injuries after being struck by an auto Monday afternoon in Annapolis. Firefighters responded to the area of Route 2 and Route 50 for an auto accident involving a pedestrian around 1:40 p.m. Responders located the incident on the ramp from Route 2 North to Route 50 East, finding a 48-year-old female struck by an auto that remained on the scene. Paramedics requested a Maryland State Police Medevac helicopter which landed near Annapolis Exchange Parkway. The patient was flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center with critical, possibly life-threatening injuries.
Motor Vehicle Collision Harmans
One person suffered serious injuries as the result of an auto accident on the Baltimore Washington Parkway Monday morning. Firefighters responded to a reported auto accident with an occupant trapped in the area of Route 295 South near Arundel Mills Boulevard just before 8:15 a.m. Responders located a single vehicle accident involving an SUV which was overturned in the woods. The 47-year-old male driver and lone occupant was trapped in his vehicle until extricated by firefighters in about 25 minutes. Paramedics transported him to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center with serious but not considered life-threatening injuries.
Incidents on Sunday, October 8th:
The department responded to 240 incidents.
Burn Patient- Home Oxygen Use and Smoking
For the second time in three days, a patient suffered burn injuries as the result of using smoking materials while on home oxygen. Firefighters responded to a report of a patient with facial burns in an apartment at the Chesapeake Glen Apartment complex around 9 a.m. Responders located a 56-year-old female who attempted to light a cigarette while a nasal cannula from a home oxygen system was in place and flowing. She suffered burns to her face around her nose and mouth. Paramedics transported her to the Burn Center at John Hopkins Bayview Hospital with serious, possibly life-threatening injuries.
On Friday evening, firefighters responded to a residence in the Ferndale Farms community of Ferndale for two patients burned. Paramedics located a 61-year-old male who suffered burns to his face as the result of a fire that occurred while he attempted to smoke with home oxygen in place. A second patient, an 18-year-old male, complained of burns and respiratory distress that he suffered while trying to assist the first patient. Paramedics transported both patients to the Burn Center at John Hopkins Bayview with serious but not considered life-threatening injuries.
Similar previous incidents in Anne Arundel County have caused fatal injuries with one instance occurring each in 2016, 2015 and 2013.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), hospital emergency rooms see an estimated average of 1,190 thermal burns per year caused by ignitions associated with home medical oxygen. In 73% of those cases, smoking materials were the heat source that started the fire.
The NFPA makes the following safety recommendations for homes where oxygen is in use:
- Never smoke in a home where oxygen is used.
- Post “no smoking” signs in and outside of the home to remind residents and guests not to smoke.
- If oxygen is used in the home, the amount of oxygen in the air, furniture, clothing, hair, and bedding goes up, making it easier for a fire to start and spread. This means that there is a higher risk of both fires and burns.
- Never use an open flame, such as candles, matches, wood stoves, and sparking toys, when oxygen is in use.
- People who may have difficulty escaping a fire should have a phone near their bed or chair.
- Make sure that the home has smoke alarms. Test them at least monthly.
- Have a home fire escape plan with two ways out of every room and an outside meeting place. Practice the plan at least twice a year.
Incidents on Saturday, October 7th:
The department responded to 247 incidents.
Motor Vehicle Collision Lothian
Two people suffered serious injuries following a motor vehicle collision Saturday morning in Lothian. Firefighters responded to an auto accident with occupants trapped in the 900 block of Lower Pindell Road, near Southernmost Road, around 10:55 a.m. Responders arrived to locate a single vehicle accident in which a Kia Soul left the roadway and overturned in the woods. The driver of the vehicle, a 55-year-old male, was able to get out of the vehicle before the arrival of firefighters. The 55-year-old male passenger was trapped and extricated by firefighters in about 10 minutes. Paramedics transported the driver to the Trauma Center at Prince George’s Hospital with injuries that were serious but not believed life-threatening. Paramedics requested a Maryland State Police medevac helicopter for the passenger of the car. It landed at the Dunkirk Baptist Church on Route 4. The passenger was also transported to PG Trauma with serious but not considered life-threatening injuries.
Incidents on Friday, October 6th:
The department responded to 299 incidents.
Motor Vehicle Collision Davidsonville
The driver of a pickup truck suffered serious injuries following a motor vehicle collision Friday morning in Davidsonville. Firefighters responded to the area of Birdsville Road and Blandford Lane around 7 a.m., where they found a head-on collision involving two pickup trucks with one driver trapped. Firefighters extricated the trapped driver, a 21-year-old male, in about 15 minutes. Paramedics requested a Maryland State Police medevac helicopter which landed at Lee Airport. The patient was flown to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center with injuries that were serious but not believed life-threatening. The second driver, a 44-year-old male, was transported by paramedics to Anne Arundel Medical Center with minor injuries.
