Patient Shares Recovery Journey For National Burn Awareness Week

It is National Burn Awareness Week, and experts have warnings about the dangers of flammable liquids.

The Tulsa Fire Department is partnering with the Alexander Burn Center at Hillcrest in Tulsa to spread awareness.

Cephus Marks, an Oakhurst resident, told News On 6 he is grateful to be alive after being badly burned.

He is sharing his story to encourage everyone to be careful with anything that could catch fire.

Marks got emotional during the interview while thinking about last June when he and his wife used gasoline to burn tree debris in their Oakhurst backyard.

He said the wind pushed the fire toward his family.

"I threw her and my grandbabies out of the way, and I jumped in front of it to protect them,” said Marks. “I was burned over 50% of my body.”

The 57-year-old is still recovering from third- and fourth-degree burns.

Marks said he is grateful that the Alexander Burn Center at Hillcrest has caring experts like nurse Jessica Pilgrim to help patients recover.

Pilgrim said recovering from a burn involves pain management, infection prevention, and physical therapy.

"It's unimaginable pain, and it's unimaginable change and a whole lifestyle,” said Pilgrim.

The Centers for Disease Control reported more than 276,000 people around the country were treated for unintentional burns in 2020.

Andy Little with the Tulsa Fire Department said flammable liquids like gasoline, propane, kerosene, aerosol, and oxygen can be dangerous.

"Last year, we responded to an explosion in an apartment complex from an individual that was on oxygen and smoking,” said Little. “If it's something that's already on fire and already burning, oxygen is just going to increase the intensity of that."

Little is reminding residents it is against the law to burn anything in the city limits of Tulsa.

Experts said if someone is burned, it is best to rinse the area with lukewarm water, then put a dry, clean dressing on it and get professional help.