Firefighters are usually the first person a burn survivor encounters after an incident. The emotional and physical pain that a burn survivor experiences is something that we, as firefighters, see all too often. The details of the incident become the bond between the firefighter and the burn survivor. Working with burn survivors is a way for the tragedy to become more than “just part of the job”. It promotes healing for the survivor as well as the firefighters.
The Kern County Firefighters Burn Survivor Trust was founded in the mid 80’s after a house fire in SW Bakersfield that severely burned two young girls. At the time of the tragedy there was not a burn center in Kern County. This meant that the girls and their family had to travel out of town for months to get the proper treatment. Unfortunately, this caused added expenses like transportation, food, and lodging- all of which are not covered by health insurance. The Trust was formed to assist families like this with unexpected hardships. For years we have we have been dedicated to the continued support of our burn survivors. Not only during their stay in the hospital, but through the entire healing process. This is often months and sometimes years. We provide things like burn garments, counseling, and financial support for transportation and lodging. We host barbeques, picnics, and sponsor survivors for several different events. Each year we host a family camp-out that caters to survivors and their families, both young and old. Our goal is to create a support system of people who have faced similar circumstances. This helps tremendously with the healing process. Your generous donations and continuous fund raising allow us the opportunity to help the survivors and their families in their time of need. It is with your contributions and our commitment that we are able to play a significant role in the future and support our burn community.
Donations can be made by mail, in person, or by using the Paypal link below. Thank you in advance for your time and interest in our cause.
