Dr. James Johnson's face is plastered on a national campaign to stop gas fires.
"I would hope that entire problem disappears," said the Dr. Johnson, Burn Specialist at Hillcrest Hospital.
Johnson is one of six spokespeople for The National Gasoline Safety Project.
The project aims to put an end to gas fires and burns through an initiative that includes a website, StopGasFires.org. As part of the initiative, hashtags are placed on portable gasoline containers sold across the nation.
Dr. Johnson said he is part of campaign for one simple reason; he has seen and treated burn victims time and time again.
Dr. Johnson said that March through October are the busiest months at the Hillcrest burn unit, "During that time frame it is rare that someone isn't getting treated for a burn or being operated on."
The biggest problem usually starts with a gas can. Dr. Johnson said, "Well over 50 percent of them are from burning brush sometimes trash."
Jimmy Knight suffered third degree burns and had to be treated by Dr. Johnson after he caught fire putting gasoline on a brush fire. Kight said the fire ignited and sounded like a bomb, "It got you before you know it, just got you before you know it."
Jimmy and his wife, Nancy, both stand firmly behind the campaign. "If there is anything I can say its just please don't use anything explosive," said Nancy, "it's just not worth it, don't try to speed things up."
Gasoline burn data is not directly tracked, the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System estimates 1,500 children a year are injured or killed in gasoline fires. Approximately 14,500 Americans die each year from burn injuries and related infections.
"Burns are incredibly painful and they can be disfiguring and happen on any place of your body," said Dr. Johnson.
