What is napalm? Survivors of Maui wildfires grappling with burn injuries similar to Vietnam war victims
MAUI, HAWAII: Rescuers, who are helping the survivors of the Maui wildfires in Hawaii move to safety while trying to locate dead bodies, reportedly said that the injuries they were seeing on people were similar to napalm-induced burns.
According to Michael Havoc Thomas, a military veteran and owner of the private rescue and training company HAVOC, the real image of the destruction was more grim than it was initially estimated.
Thomas said, “The news will not be able to show you the real survivors or the real victims. It’s very WW2 flamethrowers and Vietnam napalm-like. That is not an exaggeration,” per the Daily Mail.
What is napalm?
According to the Oxford Dictionaries, napalm is a highly-flammable substance which consists of an amalgamation of a gelling substance with inflammable petrochemicals such as petrol or diesel, and is formulated to adhere to surfaces.
During World War II and the Vietnam War, Napalm was used in flamethrowers, bombs and tanks. It is formulated to burn at a specific rate (usually ranging between 1,470°F to 2,190°F).
According to a study called Napalm Exposure, napalm rapidly deoxygenates the available air during combustion and generates large amounts of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
Thomas said that he met a leader of his team whose tactical gear smelled like “burning flesh.” “When I hugged him I smelled him. Honestly, I can only compare it to experiences from the military, never had to fight a fire before so I can only tell you it’s like doing a BDA after spooky levels an objective,” he said.
Thomas continued, “The smells of burning metal and flesh on the gear he was carrying from dragging people out of some of the rubble.”
“Majority is too hot to touch. His boots and other rubber equipment were melted and unserviceable,” Thomas said, adding, “The tears and smeared residue of dirt on his face tell a story he hasn’t been able to comprehend yet.”
How are celebrities helping the Maui wildfire survivors?
Per DailyMail, celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Floyd Mayweather arrived at the local rescue shelters and helped the victims. The renowned talk show host was even seen distributing diapers, toiletries, sheets and pillows from Costco.
She said, “It's overwhelming... but I'm really pleased to have so many people supporting... bringing what they can and doing what they can.”
Winfrey continued, “I came earlier just to see what people needed then went shopping because often, you know, you make donations of clothes or whatever and it's not really what people need. So I actually went to Walmart and Costco and got pillows, shampoo, diapers, sheets, pillowcases.”