By Kristi L Nelson
Knoxville News-Sentinel
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Local hospitals have emergency response plans in place as more fire victims trickle in, with injuries in varying degrees of severity.
LeConte Medical Center, Sevier County’s only hospital, has seen 16 people with fire-related injuries, said Tonya Stoutt-Brown, communications specialist for Covenant Health, LeConte’s parent company.
Of those, Stoutt-Brown said, 10 were admitted to LeConte and one treated and discharged. Five, who had “more critical injuries,” were transferred to other hospitals: University of Tennessee Medical Center, and Covenant’s Fort Sanders and Park West Medical Center. As of Tuesday afternoon patients were still coming in with fire-related injuries, “though not as many,” she said.
At least 10 patients have come into the University of Tennessee Medical Center, said public relations/operations staffer Jim Ragonese, with a variety of injuries, “some minor and some critical.”
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency said three “severe burn victims” were transferred from UT Medical Center to Vanderbilt University Medical Center Burn Center in Nashville, while a fourth was still being treated at UT Medical Center.
Kristin Smart, senior information officer for Vanderbilt University Medical Cewnter said all three patients at the 25-bed burn center are in “critical but stable” condition. Two arrived by ground transport and the third by LifeFlight, she said.
Weather kept UT Medical Center’s LifeStar helicopter grounded Monday night, Ragonese said, so medical staff from the Sevier, Morristown and Jacksboro bases went by ground to LeConte Medical Center to assist there if needed. Ragonese said LifeStar can fly today, but with restrictions.
None of the injured has been identified by any hospital, nor is it clear whether any were firefighters or emergency personnel.
Copyright 2016 the Knoxville News-Sentinel