A naked flame and airborne gas turned Ian Burlinson into a fireball - and if it wasn't for the Western Bay's rescue helicopter, he could have died. The simple act of flicking a lighter in a caravan was nearly the Tauranga man's last. "The caravan just exploded," the 79-year-old Bayswater RetirementVillage resident recalls. "I was literally blown up." It was early September 8 last year and he was working on a gas stove in a caravan that was to be collected by a new owner. As Mr Burlinson burned the end of a rope to stop it from fraying, there was a huge explosion. Whether there was a leaky hose or he had left the gas on will never be known. Mr Burlinson's acrylic shirt ignited and melted on to his skin. Luckily, a cotton singlet stopped burns to his torso but his face, fingers and arms were badly burned. "I thought I was going to die," he said. St John medical staff rushed Mr Burlinson to Tauranga Hospital, where it was quickly decided he needed to fly to Waikato Hospital in the TrustPower TECT rescue helicopter. He credits his survival and quick recovery to the chopper's speedy delivery. "It meant I could be assessed as soon as possible by the burns experts." His wife of 51 years, Jocelyn, says speed was the essence. "I was so impressed with the medical staff and the ability to get Ian to another hospital so quickly in the helicopter," she says. Mr Burlinson admits he never expected to use the rescue helicopter. If funding is cut for the Tauranga chopper, future patients needing transfer to another hospital would have to wait for the nearest available ACC-funded air ambulance to transfer them, which would take longer. Mr Burlinson is now writing a submission supporting funding from the Accident Compensation Corporation. Mount Maunganui ambulance station manager and paramedic Gary Bishell, who attended Mr Burlinson's blaze, also supports the Tauranga chopper. "Time is critical - particularly for burns patients," he says.
