563 “After the Fire”; The Legacy of a College Dormitory Fire Twenty Years Later

Abstract

Abstract Introduction In January 2000 fire erupted at a local college. Panicked students, many who failed to attend school-sponsored fire drills or ignored the alarms that night, found themselves scrambling to escape. Seven students were admitted for severe burns to a near-by burn center (BC), with 54 initially staged in the Emergency Department. While this dormitory fire took place more than twenty years ago, its legacy is still being felt today. Methods History shows that, with any tragedy, there are lessons to learn that lessen the impact of property destruction, injury or death. Literature review of several major fires looked at their impact promoting burn care and fire safety to correlate those lessons with this fire. Four key areas of improvement emerged: disaster preparedness, media relations, legislation, and fire prevention. Results Changes to BC disaster preparedness included formation of a more comprehensive plan, revisions to triage and transfer protocols, new guidelines for unit staffing, creation of a mid-Atlantic group of BCs that eventually morphed into the Eastern Regional Burn Disaster Consortium, and installation of a medical command center for regional disaster response. Media relations saw a collaboration with law enforcement, due to criminal investigation, and a partnership with a syndicated newspaper to document the journey of two survivors. A series of articles eventually resulted in a Pulitzer Prize-finalist book, with award winning photographs displayed at a national museum. Redesigned fire safety programs targeted high school and college students emphasizing escape plans, and clinical education included disaster drills. Two survivors became motivational speakers, sharing their personal story on campuses across the United States. New legislation mandated sprinkler installation in dormitories nationwide, and a non-profit foundation was formed to improve burn care. The anniversary of this fire is still commemorated each year with a ceremony and wreath-laying on campus. Conclusions Despite this dormitory fire being ranked as the deadliest in state history, all these years later the legacy of this landmark event remains one of triumph and resilience as its lessons still to resonate today