Burn Survivor Support

Chances are that you or someone you know has experienced what thousands of others have – a burn injury. Although it is estimated that 80 percent of burn injuries and fire-related deaths are preventable, the fact remains that burn injuries continue to remain one of the leading causes of childhood injury and death in the United States. Every year, 250,000 children are injured and more than 1,000 die as a result of burn trauma.

Burn injuries can be devastating to adults, children, and their families. Unlike other injuries, burn injuries often leave behind emotional and physical scars that can last a lifetime. Those who suffer from severe burns must undergo physical and psychological healing before they can return to a sense of normalcy in their lives. Yet their lives are permanently altered. The Fire & Burn Foundation understands the unique nature of a burn injury and provides burn survivor support programs to help burn survivors cope with the long-term effects of their injuries.

Emergency Needs Fund

Burn survivors face challenges that are difficult to fully understand. A serious burn injury changes the lives of the person injured and the lives of their friends and family. Fire & Burn Foundation specializes in burn support and understands the pain and suffering associated with a severe burn injury. The Fire & Burn Foundation has played an integral role in transforming burn victims into burn survivors.

There are a variety of burn survivor support programs available and all are free of charge to residents of the Inland Empire. One such program is the Emergency Needs Fund. The Emergency Needs Fund provides emergency and short-term lodging for low-income families of burn patients while their loved ones are being treated at the Edward G. Hirschman Burn Center at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Assistance may include emergency transportation to and from the burn center for required follow-up treatment and meals.

Parents or family members in need are referred to the Fire & Burn Foundation by the burn unit social worker and burn unit nursing manager. Determining a real need is based on several factors including but not limited to:

  • The patient’s family income level
  • Number of anticipated follow-up visits required to complete treatment
  • Available family resources
  • Availability of funds.

Once a need has been determined, Fire & Burn Foundation collaborates with the burn unit social worker to arrange for assistance.

For more information call the Fire & Burn Foundation at (909) 580-6339.

Embers of Hope Youth Camp

Did you know over 300 children each day become the victim of a burn injury? Burn-injured children face an uphill climb, carrying with them physical and emotional scars that will last a lifetime. The road to recovery is a daily challenge. Embers of Hope exists to offer them escape and encouragement.

For more than ten years, the Fire & Burn Foundation has run a four-day, three-night camp for burn-injured children ages 5-to-17, and young adult "Leaders in Training" ages 18-20. Camp is free of charge to children from Riverside, San Bernardino, Inyo, and Mono Counties, and every effort is made to find a sponsorship for any juvenile burn survivor from other areas wishing to attend. 

Burn Camp 2018

Our staff of volunteers consists of off-duty firefighters, adult burn-survivors, mental health professionals, teachers and burn unit personnel. They are all familiar with the challenges burn-injured children face and bring knowledge and compassion to this unique healing experience. For many campers it will be the first time they've seen other burn-injured children or adults. They will realize they are not alone.

Activities are focused around providing campers challenging - yet fun - experiences to help them grow in both their physical, emotional, and social recovery. Seasonal weather and facility availability dictate what we can do, so we offer a variety of rotating indoor and outdoor activities for campers, including:

  • Team Building 
  • Challenging Outdoor Activities
  • Hiking
  • Music and Skits
  • Camp Dance Night
  • Games
  • Campfires
  • Arts & Crafts
  • Snow Play
  • Water Play

Transportation to and from camp is provided and all campers receive a health screening prior to departing for camp. We provide three square meals a day and don’t limit the number of “seconds”. We offer snacks, roasted marshmallows, and serve hot chocolate. Trained mental health professionals are on staff to help facilitate peer support sessions offering young burn survivors much needed counseling in a safe environment. Your child will experience a rare opportunity to build friendships that last a lifetime.

Burn-injuries can be catastrophic to a child’s psyche, and can steal the carefree joy of being young. For four days and three nights, Embers of Hope winter camp lightens their load, lifts their self-esteem and hands them back their childhood. Camp is a remarkable healing experience that helps transform burn victims into burn survivors - an experience that will last a lifetime.

Since its inception, Embers of Hope Camp has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of burn-injured children.

All questions may be directed to Activities Director Autumn Mitchell who can be reached at 951-704-6983 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

 

 

 

 

About Us

The Fire & Burn Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 California nonprofit health agency. The agency is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, all elected by the process stated in agency by-laws.

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