Each year in the U.S., approximately 15,000 children under the age of 17 suffer severe, life-altering burns resulting in extended hospitalization, loss of limbs, extensive scarring or other permanent bodily damage. To help prevent these injuries, the nonprofit Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin Charitable Foundation Inc. (PFFWCF) works to promote and foster fire safety, prevention and education throughout Wisconsin.
While headquartered in Madison, PFFWCF does work in Greater Milwaukee often, having most recently hosted a week-long pumpkin contest with the establishments Bottoms Up South, Bottoms Up North, Madame Belle’s and Tally Ho to raise money for the group’s annual Summer Camp for Burn Injured Youth. This free, week-long burn camp serves Wisconsin burn survivors between the ages 7-17. Each year volunteers handle various aspects of the camp; volunteers include fire fighters, EMTs, nurses, paramedics, teachers, doctors, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and many others.
“For many of these young survivors, the Burn Camp is the first place they’ve ever been where they meet another person that shares a similar experience or a similar scar,” says Jenna Jordan, the camp’s program director. “At the camp these burn survivors can truly feel that they fit in. One of our goals at the camp is to teach burn-injured kids to stop thinking of themselves as victims who can’t do things and instead look at themselves as survivors who can do whatever they put their minds to.”
Jordan adds, “We can always use more help. It’s become more difficult to make contact with youth burn survivors to make sure that they are able to attend camp, so word of mouth information to these families goes a long way.”
To become a volunteer, donate, learn about attending the camp or to view the camp’s wish list, contact Jordan at jennapffwcf@gmail.com, call 608-630-8440 or visit pffwcf.org.
