September 18, 2001
Firefighter Jason Emhoff Speaks to Media Thursday, September 20
What: Jason Emhoff, the firefighter burned in the Thirty Mile Fire in Okanogan County, will speak to the media Thursday, September 20 at 10 a.m.
Jason’s mother Jeanne Emhoff and Dr. David Heimbach, director of Harborview Medical Center’s Burn Unit, will also be available to answer questions.
Where: Harborview’s Research and Training Building (next to Harborview Hall), 300 9th Avenue (corner of 9th Avenue and Alder Street), Seattle, Room 113
Susan Gregg-Hanson from Community Relations at Harborview will greet you inside the Research and Training Building and escort you to the room.
Background on Jason Emhoff’s Stay at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle:
July 10, 2001: Twenty-one-year-old Jason Emhoff of Yakima arrived via Airlift Northwest to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, WA on the evening of Tuesday, July 10, 2001. He suffered about 40 percent burns over his body to his face, hands, ears, arms and legs. The deepest burns occurred over his hands.
July 16, 2001: Emhoff underwent his first surgery at Harborview.
July 23, 2001: Harborview physicians Dr. Loren Engrav, Dr. David Heimbach and Dr. Lee Faucher performed surgery on Emhoff that involved covering his left hand using the crane principle, which required that his left hand be inserted into his abdominal wall so fat would adhere to his hand to provide a sturdy layer for surgeons to apply a skin graft at a later time.
July 31, 2001: Emhoff is transferred out of Harborview’s Burn Intensive Care Unit to the Acute Burn Center patient floor and upgraded to satisfactory condition.
August 13, 2001: Emhoff underwent surgery at Harborview to remove his left hand from the abdominal pocket and skin graft his left hand, both ears, left thigh, elbows, and other areas of his body. The skin placed on his left hand and other parts of his body came from his back. His right pinkie finger was also amputated.
August 20, 2001: Emhoff underwent more minor surgery in regards to the previous skin graft surgery.
September 5, 2001: Pins were placed in Emhoff’s fingers of his left hand to straighten them out and increase his limited range of motion and flexibility.
September 10, 2001: The pins were removed from Emhoff’s fingers.
September 13, 2001: Emhoff is discharged from Harborview Medical Center and continues to receive therapy at Harborview as an outpatient.
The University of Washington Burn Center at Harborview
Since it’s opening in 1974, the Burn Center at Harborview has treated more than 9,000 patients from the four-state region of Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. The overall mortality rate at the Burn Center stands at four percent. The program’s effectiveness is due not only to advances in technology but to its team approach including general surgeons, plastic surgeons, physical and occupational therapists, social workers, specialized nursing staff, psychologists, vocational rehab therapists, a dietitian, a pharmacist and special teams in the operating room.
