Burn Center in Brandon Opens Monday

A new inpatient burn treatment center opens in Brandon soon

The state’s first inpatient burn treatment center in four years is set to open in Brandon on Monday. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports what it will mean for patients and their loved ones.

Meridian Fire Chief, Jeff Homan has seen his share of fire disasters.

“Anything from hot grease to boiling waters splashing on them to firefighters pulling them out of a house fire.”

That's why he welcomes the new Joseph M. Still inpatient Burn facility at Crossgates River Oakes Hospital in Brandon. He says the new center will eliminate some of the need to transport Mississippi patients to burn centers outside of the state for treatment.

“They were receiving great care at these facilities. But it’s such a financial burden and it’s also such a hardship on the family to follow that loved one to that burn care facility. And to be that support network that that patient need to encourage them to stay and hang in there, and you’re gonna get better. And day to day encouragement that they can’t get from anybody but their loved ones.”

Not having to travel long distances for treatment can mean the difference between life and death for many Burn patients. But according to Dr. William Lineaweaver, of Crossgates River Oakes it goes beyond that.

“It’s not only the burn itself but it’s the physical response to the burn. And then it’s the wait problems that involve scaring of the face or hands or other body parts that sometimes need surgery months or years down the road. To be able to fit a burn patient into any non burn practice is very difficult. So there needs to be a place where burns are managed from the injury to the full rehabilitation.”

Mississippi has not had an inpatient burn facility since the Mississippi Firefighters' Memorial Burn Center in Greenville closed in mid-2005 because of budget and staffing shortfalls. For MPB News, I'm Lawayne Childrey.