Fire Fighters show a lot of Heart

Eight Locals across the province contribute $675K for new Burn Fund Centre

VANCOUVER, Feb. 15, 2013 /CNW/ - Eight Fire Fighter locals from across the province: Burnaby, Cranbrook, Delta, Kamloops, Kelowna, North Vancouver District, Richmond and Surrey, have contributed a total of $675,000 to the accommodations facilities at the new $13.1 million Burn Fund Centre to be built by the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund at 3891 Main Street in Vancouver.

"We've seen firsthand that helping with accommodation for burn and trauma survivors and their families can be one of the most significant contributions to help survivors physically and emotionally recover and live a full life", says Mike Hurley, President of the Burn Fund. "We're so grateful that the Fire Fighters in these eight communities have shown such leadership in helping us meet this critical need - they've raised money through a combination of community fundraisers along with personal payroll deductions from the members."

The province is experiencing a critical shortfall in accommodation for burn and trauma patients and their family caregivers. Patients' health may be compromised when they have to return home sooner than medically advised or live in accommodations not suited to recovery from a burn or trauma. Each year almost 700 children and adults from across the province are admitted to the BCPFF Burn, Plastic and Trauma Unit at Vancouver General Hospital and BC Children's Hospital suffering serious trauma. Cases from outside the Lower Mainland make up 27% of cases, and 60% of those are paying for private sector accommodation for an average of eight weeks.

The new $13.1 million Burn Fund Centre will provide eight short-term stay units to meet the critical shortfall in appropriate accommodation for burn and trauma patients and their family caregivers. The Centre will also house the offices of the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association and Burn Fund and include ground floor retail space to help fund the ongoing operation of the building.   The Burn Fund has secured 80% of necessary funding and is currently in the midst of a capital campaign.

"Nobody plans to be a burn survivor", points out Lisa Lacamell, Executive Director of the Burn Fund, "but when it happens, your family's life is turned inside out in a matter of seconds.  With our contributions to research, patient care, survivor support and prevention we're trying to give British Columbians their best chance, the Burn Fund Centre is the critical piece of that legacy."

The BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund has been providing prevention and survivor support programs, and funding medical care, training and research to the people of British Columbia and the Yukon for almost four decades. The Burn Fund's vision is built by more than 3,800 professional fire fighters from fifty-three communities in British Columbia and the Yukon who graciously dedicate their funds, time and expertise.

SOURCE: British Columbia Professional Fire Fighters Burn Fund

Lisa Lacamell, Burn Fund, Executive Director, 604-720-5129
Mike Hurley, Burn Fund, President, 604-436-5617