Man of ‘Steel’ Leaves Burn Center : Firefighters: Capt. Jan Bernard was badly burned in the Chatsworth blaze, but his spirit is undaunted. He is determined to get back on the job.

Capt. Jan Bernard, the most seriously injured of four firefighters burned in the Chatsworth wildfire, walked out of the Sherman Oaks Hospital Burn Center on Friday, his unsteady gait hardly masking his resolute determination to return to duty.

“I feel great,” Bernard said at a news conference in front of the hospital. “There is no doubt I am going to go back to work.”

Flanked by three colleagues from Pacoima-based Engine 98 who were injured with him when their firetruck was overcome by flames in Box Canyon on Oct. 27, Bernard thanked the hundreds of people who sent cards and letters during his stay at the center. Bernard, who was burned over 40% of his body, expressed his hope to be back on light duty in a few months and fighting fires within a year.

“You couldn’t stop his spirit,” said Bernard’s brother, Bruce, 43. “He’s like a wild horse. Once I heard he was alive I knew he’d make it.” As the last of eight firefighters to leave the center, Bernard’s release closes a devastating chapter in the round of the vicious wildfires that raced through the Southland this fall.

Only one civilian victim of the fires--Ron Mass, who was injured in the Calabasas/Malibu blaze and suffered burns over 75% of his body--remains at the center. He is in serious condition.

Dr. Richard Grossman, the medical director of the burn center, whose team treated all eight of the victims, said he is impressed by how quickly firefighters heal.

“A firefighter is different than a human,” Grossman said. “He has a will of steel--you have to to have that job. You can’t get these men to take disability or workman’s comp.”

“Something in their metabolism is in overdrive; they invariably want to go back to work.” As if to prove Grossman’s point, Bernard’s colleagues Gary Carpenter, 35; Cleveland Tipton, 45, and Russell Nakamura, 40, all said they hope to get back to work as soon as possible.

Appearing at the news conference with one hand and one arm covered with black elastic pressure bandages, Tipton, who was burned over 12% of his body, said he intends to be back on the job by February.

“If I was walking right now and someone told me a kid was trapped in a fire, I wouldn’t hesitate to go in,” Tipton said. “If you are not willing to sacrifice your own life for someone you don’t know, there’s really no sense in being a fireman.”

Bernard, who suffered burns on his back, legs and face, missed out on his 23-year-old son’s wedding and spent his 46th birthday in the center. He said he was looking forward to spending time with his wife, Dorothy, in their North Hills home, which was remodeled during his absence.

“It’ll be really nice to be home for the holidays,” he said.