In wake of ferocious Maui wildfires, first responders face breathing issues
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - First responders on Maui are now dealing with breathing issues in the wake of the Lahaina wildfire.
Tina Braddock, a hyperbaric oxygen therapy provider on Oahu, is volunteering her time to run free services on Maui for first responders.
It involves patients going into a pressurized environment and breathing pure oxygen for an extended period of time as a form of lung therapy and other health benefits.
She says it all started with a call from a police officer on the island asking for help.
“Called me saying they are coughing up blood and soot and he heard about my services and was asking for help,” said Braddock with Mana Warrior Health on Oahu’s North Shore.
“That was a Saturday morning, the week of the fires, within three days, we were setting up five hyperbaric chambers on the island.”
Tina says as New Yorker who was there on 9/11, getting first responders help is personal.
“My fear is that we will again witness the effects that 22 years later we saw with the 9/11 first responder and survivor community and the issues with respiratory issues, cancer, depression. We have an opportunity to intervene on the early stages.”
There are currently three locations on Maui where first responders can get free hyperbaric oxygen therapy services:
- J.W. Cameron Center in Wailuku: 808-212-9922
- Banyan Wellness Center, Kihei: 808-666-1937
- Lahaina Fire House (First responders only)
The effort is staffed by volunteers and organized by manawarriorcollective.com with equipment sponsored by Hawaii Hyperbarics and the 343fund.org who are raising funds to donate a chamber to Lahaina first responders.
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