Top burns specialists to treat NSW volcano victims
Doctors treating survivors of the White Island volcano blast are stocking up on laboratory-grown skin with two more patients expected to arrive in Australia tonight to be treated at specialist burns units.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Death toll rises as volcano victims touch down in Aus
- Volcano hosted lawyers’ Xmas party 48hrs before it blew
Doctors treating survivors of the White Island volcano blast in hospitals across Australia and New Zealand are stocking up on laboratory-grown skin and say 120 square metres of extra skin is needed.
The wounds, covering large portions of the victims’ bodies, are contaminated with ash and debris. Many also sustained lung injuries from breathing in sulphur and ash-laden smoke.
Two more NSW residents arrived in Sydney this afternoon and were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital after being transported by Australian Defence Force aircraft.
Two more patients will be returned on Thursday evening to receive treatment at Concord Hospital’s specialist burns unit.
It brings the total number of patients repatriated to eight, with the last two patients due to be safely returned in the next 24 hours.
Two other patients who were transferred on Wednesday night to Concord Hospital remain in a critical condition, while the family of the third has requested privacy.
The first patient who arrived at Royal North Shore remains in a stable condition.
Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the patients will be treated in NSW Health’s world-leading adult burns units.
“Together with our Federal counterparts, we have offered assistance to the New Zealand Government to help co-ordinate the aeromedical retrievals, which commenced overnight,” Dr Chant said.
READ MORE
Knox school’s prayers for brothers missing alongside parents
adventure tourism law will prevent victims from suing
All the victims are adults and are being assessed based on clinical priority after the Australian Overseas Mass Casualty Response Plan was activated to address the tragic outcome of this event.
“At this terribly sad time when we have lost fellow Australians, I commend the co-operation of both New Zealand and local health authorities to orchestrate the safe return of these patients who will receive the best care available.”
The NSW Health Aeromedical Retrieval team expects various aircraft from both New Zealand and Australia to undertake the medevac operation based on the advice of the NZ Intensive Care Unit and Burns Network.
Associate Professor Geoff Sussman from the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University and Wound Consultant at Austin Health said burn victims were complex to treat.
“When there is a burn that is deep and especially when there have been extreme temperatures and steam involved, you can also get burnt on your lungs. So there are other damages done other than the skin itself,” Prof Sussman said.
“The big consequences of major burns is scarring and also the burn can affect the functionality of limbs parts of the body. There is also a significant psychological impact not only on patients but families as well.”
While the burns units across Australia cover the costs of the patients treatment while in hospital, patients will still face a number of fees for ongoing care.
“The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme does not cover things like bandages and dressings, which leaves patients having to pay for themselves,” he said.
“When patients leave the hospital, there recovery is still going to be long and will have acute costs for ongoing treatment like compression garments and bandages to help minimise the scarring.”
VICTIMS NAMED
There are now ten people confirmed dead, including nine Australians.
Brothers Berend Hollander, 16, and Matthew Hollander, 13, were killed while visiting the site.
The pair attended Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga on Sydney’s north shore.
It is with the greatest sadness that I can confirm that Matthew Hollander (Year 8) and Berend (known at ‘Ben’) Hollander (Year 10) have passed away in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the White Island volcano eruption,” the school’s headmaster Scott James wrote in a letter to parents. “Please take some time to reflect on the lives of Matthew and Ben and this devastating loss for our community.
“It is with the greatest sadness that I can confirm that Matthew Hollander (Year 8) and Berend (known at ‘Ben’) Hollander (Year 10) have passed away in hospital as a result of injuries sustained in the White Island volcano eruption,” the school’s headmaster Scott James wrote in a letter to parents.
“Please take some time to reflect on the lives of Matthew and Ben and this devastating loss for our community.
“Matthew was a vibrant member of the Class of 2023. He was involved in cadets and representing the school in basketball, squash and debating. He was elected as a Mentor Representative in 2018/19. Matthew had a close circle of friends and was popular among his peers. He was always enthusiastic about life and was actively involved in school and year group activities.
“Ben was actively engaged in sports and co-curricular activities at Knox, developing a passion for AFL, cadets, CRU and his biggest passion, baseball. He had a great love for the outdoors and camp. Ben was a compassionate and enthusiastic student, with an interest in software design. Ben’s engaging smile and quirky sense of humour made him a good mate to his close group of friends and a welcome member to every classroom.”
Devastated friends of NSW couple Karla Matthews, 32, and Richard Elzer, 32, issued a statement saying that the Coffs Harbour pair had tragically lost their lives on White Island.
Their friend, Jason Griffiths, 33, has died in hospital, where he was “surrounded by friends and family members”.
“On the 4th of December 2019, we embarked upon a cruise as a group of nine close friends who were looking forward to a wonderful holiday together,” the statement, which was signed Alex, Daniel, Ellie, Leanne, Paul and Samantha, said.
“We enjoyed the first five days of our trip and have many memories that will stay with us forever. On the 9th of December 2019, we were devastated by the news that three of our
friends were visiting White Island on a shore excursion during the time of the eruption.
“Some time later, we discovered that two of our friends, Richard Elzer and Karla Mathews, were still on the island. We have been advised that there are no signs of life on the island.
“We then located our third friend, Jason Griffiths, in a hospital in the early hours of the next morning. From that moment until the moment of his passing, Jason was surrounded by friends and family members.
We are incredibly saddened to have lost three of our closest friends.”
The distraught sister of volcano victim Mr Griffiths raced to her brother’s bedside in New Zealand but was too late.
Coffs Harbour resident Melissa Griffiths took to Facebook to express her anguish – commenting that she “was too late”.
“I love you bro, fly high I’m coming to bring you home … I promise I’ll be there real soon I will miss you always,” she posted initially.
“Now I just have to bring him home.”
Jason was surrounded by family and friends when he died.
Tour guide operator Hayden Marshall-Inman from New Zealand was the first victim of the tragedy to be publicly named.
Brisbane mother Julie Richards, 47, and her daughter Jessica, 20 as well as Adelaide lawyer Gavin Dallow and his 15-year-old daughter, Zoe, have also been confirmed along the dead.
Earlier, news emerged that two Australians injured in the White Island eruption have been found in hospitals as authorities confirmed the nine tourists listed as missing might never be found.
The sister-in-law of Julie Richards, 47, said the family have been left “devastated” after she was killed with her 20-year-old daughter Jessica in the eruption.
“To all our friends and family, it is with sad news that we have learnt the Julie Richards and Jessica Richards have been confirmed as deceased after being involved in the NZ volcano explosion,” Jen Eborn said.
“Please be respectful and give us all time to work through this devastating news. RIP Julie and Jess we love you both.”
The Director of East Willoughby Preschool Anna Gregory, has described the Langford family, parents Anthony and Kristine and their children Jesse, 19, and Winona, 17 from Sydney’s North Shore, as “much loved members” of the community.
“The Langford family has a long history with East Willoughby Preschool, as both students
and employees,” Ms Gregory said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family following this horrendous incident.”
The North Sydney family were among those aboard the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship who took a shore excursion to the island.
Yesterday night, Jesse’s grandfather was by his bedside in a New Zealand hospital after it was confirmed he was alive. While the university student is alive, it’s understood he is unwell.
The rest of his family remain unaccounted for but were not on the list of people whose bodies remained on the island, indicating they were most likely in hospital.
Jesse’s former principal at Marist College North Shore, Tony Duncan, said in a statement: “Here at Marist North Shore we are more than a school, we are a family. We celebrate, grieve, rise and fall together.
“So, as a family we are thankful to our Lord that Jesse has been found, however, we also pray for his family as the search and rescue efforts continue.
“Our school community has been hit hard, but remember that the impact of this devastating tragedy is also being felt around the globe and will be long lasting.”