accident – Here for Life

Tips for celebrating safely with fireworks

June 28, 2022

According to the Minnesota State Fire Marshal’s Office, an average of 75 people go to Minnesota hospitals with fireworks injuries each year. Nearly 45 % of firework injuries happen to children and more than 30% of firework injuries are from sparklers and fireworks that explode or shoot off into the air. That doesn’t come close to the actual number of people injured who didn’t seek care at a hospital. This doesn’t mean you have to avoid fireworks altogether this Fourth of July. As a Level I Adult, Pediatric, and Burn Center, Hennepin Healthcare offers these tips for celebrating safely with fireworks this summer. (more…)

Children and water safety

August 11, 2021

As a Level I pediatric trauma center, our role in the community is not only to care for children that are injured or ill, but also provide education and guidance to prevent injuries. Sadly, despite prevention efforts, drowning remains the leading cause of injury related death in children four years and younger. Before summer even started this year, we were seeing an unusually high number of pediatric drownings with a disproportionate number of these deaths in children of color. Like too many other health issues, there are significant racial and socioeconomic disparities in drowning rates among children. (more…)

Children injured in ATV accidents on the rise

October 1, 2020

The summer of 2020 was unique for many reasons – and unfortunately one of them was due to an increased number of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents reported in children.

“We’ve seen at least six children under the age of 17 requiring hospital admission for ATV-related accidents since May,” explains Dr. Stephen Smith, an emergency physician at Hennepin Healthcare. “These injuries are preventable, and we want to remind parents to put safety first when allowing their kids to ride on or drive these fast-moving vehicles.” (more…)

50 years ago today by Don Bania

August 20, 20203

Patient stories are one of the great things we get out of working at Hennepin Healthcare. This story came in the other day and touched our hearts, as we are sure it will touch yours.

Greetings, HCMC Doctors and Colleagues,

Yesterday, August 19th, 2020 marked the 50th Anniversary of my motorcycle accident. Attached is a recent photo of me at the scene of the accident. Following is my story. If possible, pass this story around.

Thank you, Don Bania (more…)

Nine year old water skier’s leg saved in a boat propeller accident

August 14, 20201

Dalton Northway loves to water ski. Ending his 4^th grade year this past May, his family was up at their lake home when a boat propeller accident turned a great day sour.

Dalton fell under a running boat propeller and suffered serious injuries. Quick thinking, teamwork and emergency and police response expertise fell into motion, and Dalton was airlifted to Hennepin Healthcare’s Level I Pediatric Trauma Center. (more…)

Be aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide and boating this summer. Be safe.

July 2, 2020

The Niblett family has a lot to be thankful for. Living on beautiful Lake Geneva in Alexandria, MN, they spend a lot of time on the water. Michaela Niblett, mom of five young Nibletts, calls her kids ‘little fishes’. Their surf boat is like a second home and the kids and their friends often swim behind the boat. The swim platform is easy to hang on to and you can sit and rest on the platform to take a little break. (more…)

Help is on the way

February 14, 2020

For Domonique Vetaw (pictured right) and Jahanna Robinson (pictured left), helping others was their primary reason for becoming EMS Dispatchers (EMD) at Hennepin Healthcare. Both women have a long history with Hennepin: both were treated here as children, and Jahanna delivered her three children at HCMC. Domonique grew up near the downtown campus and saw the hospital everyday growing up; as a child, she knew she wanted to work in this building, but wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. (more…)

Jet Ski Accident Leads to Unexpected Diagnosis

July 18, 2018

Ricardo Ortiz went jet skiing with his family on Prior Lake, MN. It was a sunny summer day. He had an accident and later received an unexpected diagnosis.

He decided to go for one last ride on the lake with his son when he lost his balance and hit the water very hard on his left side. He started to feel the water coming into his mouth and nose and all of a sudden, everything was dark. When he woke up, he was in an ambulance. (more…)