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“Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors” commonly known as Burn Quest made its first Ventura County stop May 12 at Santa Paula Fire Station 1 where they picked up a hefty donation to benefit burn victims. |
Quest makes annual stop for SPFFA donation for burn survivors
May 25, 2016
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
“Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors” commonly known as Burn Quest made its first Ventura County stop May 12 at Santa Paula Fire Station 1 where they picked up a hefty donation to benefit burn victims.
According to SPFD Captain Austin Macias, president of the Santa Paula Firefighters Association, “We were the first stop on the Quest run and they arrived about 9 a.m. We cooked breakfast for them here…ours was their longest stop they’re usually pretty quick because of time constraints.”
SPFD Captain Jerry Byrum and Engine 81 as well as Assist. Chief Vern Alstot escorted the caravan to Fillmore Fire.
From there Macias said Burn Quest “went over the hill into Moorpark” and to other points in Ventura County where the caravan picked up donation after donation from fire stations and businesses including a Harley-Davidson dealership.
The Santa Paula Fire Fighters Association donated $501: “We donate that every year from our association funds,” said Macias.
“Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors” is a non-profit organization managed by firefighters and civilians who according to its website “volunteer their services and are dedicated to assist those that have been affected by burn injuries. The organization hosts several fund raisers throughout each year in which donations are received and distributed on behalf of each donor to local burn centers and foundations as well as burn survivors and their families.”
Burn injuries are especially devastating, and the majority take a lifetime to heal. The physical and emotional pain the victims suffer is something firefighters see on a regular basis.
Now in its 20th year, the organization was founded in 1996 following the Southern California Malibu Brush Fire in which six firefighters were injured due to burns received while being entrapped in a “Firestorm”.
Glendale Firefighter Bill Jensen — who has accompanied the Burn Quest caravan to Santa Paula in the past — received the most serious life threatening injury sustaining third degree burns to 70 percent of his body.
After three months of surgeries, care and treatment and the “miraculous efforts of those who cared for him, Bill beat the 5 percent chance of survival and was released from the burn center on his birthday.”
Today, Bill along with the other firefighters injured that day, are well on their ways back to “normal” lives.
According to the website, “Through Bill’s experience and that of other burn survivors, it has been noted that while the patients care and treatment is being managed and monitored by doctors and nurses, it is usually the families whose lives are thrown into disarray. Through the efforts of this organization, support ranges from family and patient visits to providing material and/or monetary donations to the patients and/or immediate family to assist during the critical time of recovery.”
For more information visit www.firefightersquest.org
