June 15 , 2008
MEDIA INVITED TO THE 15th ANNUAL BURN CAMP KICK OFF
Summer Fire Safety Tips
WEST VANCOUVER, B.C. — The BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund Burn Camp kicks off this Sunday, July 20th with 73 young burn injured children and junior counsellors who are burn survivors themselves and 59 counsellors and support staff heading up to Squamish for a week of fun. Campers and their counsellors participate in group activities such as swimming, hiking, kayaking, rafting, a skit night, and arts & crafts. They also receive valuable one-on-one support from junior counsellors – themselves burn survivors – and from their counsellors.
A pancake breakfast and Camp Kick Off celebration will be held Sunday, July 20th at Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver. The Kick Off celebration is hosted by West Vancouver Fire Fighters Local 1525 with support from North Vancouver District Fire Fighters Local 1183.
The media is invited to meet the campers, chat with their families and the Camp’s counsellors who donate their time — professional fire fighters, burn unit doctors & nurses and adult burn survivors — all who make up ‘Burn Camp 2008.’
In conjunction with Burn Camp, the BC Professional Fire Fighters' Burn Fund urges everyone, especially children, to take care and have a safe, injury-free summer. The campers’ injuries range from playing with gasoline and matches, to scalds from hot water and liquids, to accidental injuries like house fires and boating and car accidents. Many of the injuries were preventable. To assist the public, the Burn Fund has issued a list of summer safety tips.
What: |
‘KICK OFF TO CAMP’ — BC Professional Fire Fighters’ 15th Annual Summer Camp for burn injured children |
When: |
Sunday, July 20, 2008 from 9:00 am to noon |
Where: |
Ambleside Beach, West Vancouver
Directions: From Hwy One, take the Taylor Way Exit South to Marine Drive, turn right and continue to 13th Street, turn left into Ambleside Park |
9 AM to 10:30 AM |
Pancake Breakfast provided by West Vancouver Fire Fighters Local 1525, North Vancouver District Fire Fighters Local 1183 with support from Kiwanis Clubs. |
9 AM to Noon |
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES: Entertainment & Fire Fighter Activities: North Vancouver District Fire boats, Canadian Coast Guard Hovercraft, West Vancouver Fire Truck apparatus, dunk tank, slap shot radar booth (Fire boats and Canadian Coast Guard are available if not responding to emergency calls)
INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES: Burn Fund Fire Fighter Representatives, Camp Counsellors, Selected Burn Survivor Campers and their families |
| 11 AM to Noon |
Offcial Kick Off to Camp includes camper and counselor introductions, spnosor recognition and cheque presentations.
Speakers include: West Vancouver Fire Chief Jeff Oates; Gord Howard, President, West Vancouver Fire Fighters Local 1525 and Tony Burke, Executive Director, BCPFF Burn Fund.
Presentation of three Burn Fund Bursary Awards will also be made. More Bursary Info. |
12:00 PM sharp |
The campers and counselors leave for Squamish. |
About
Burn Camp: |
The camp is fully funded by the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund. It is free for young burn survivors, thanks to the generous support of caring fire fighters, hospital staff, corporations, foundations, and individuals.
Camp counsellors donate all of their time. They are professional fire fighters from around the province, Doctors and Registered Nurses from the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn, Plastic and Trauma Unit at Vancouver General Hospital, BC Children’s Hospital Burn Program, and Victoria’s Royal Jubilee Hospital Burn Unit and adult burn survivors. |
About the Burn Fund: |
The Burn Fund is a registered non-profit charity established in 1978 by the BC Professional Fire Fighters Association. The Burn Fund provides life saving, life supporting, and life enriching services to the people in British Columbia.
More than 3,600 professional fire fighters from 50 communities in British Columbia and the Yukon are building the Burn Fund’s vision. They dedicate their time and skills to support burn survivors and increase the public’s knowledge about fire and burn safety issues through the work the Burn Fund does with its Burn Awareness, Research and Prevention Programs. For more information or to make a donation, please visit www.burnfund.org . |
Interviews: |
To arrange an interview with a Burn Fund Representative in your area, or a Burn Camp counsellor or camper, please contact Tammy Charles at Margo Bates Publicity at 604-538-6757 or send an E-mail to pr@burnfund.org |
SUMMER FIRE SAFETY TIPS
The BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund would like to remind everyone to take extra care in their summer activities to avoid preventable burns and scalds. Please visit the Burn Fund website at www.burnfund.org for more information on burn awareness and prevention.
BARBECUE – PROPANE & NATURAL GAS
- Never use a barbecue indoors or in an enclosed area such as a tent; doing so can cause a fire hazard and a build-up of poisonous carbon monoxide gas.
- After connecting to the propane cylinder, check for leaks by brushing a soap and water mixture over all connections. Bubbles will form when there is a leak.
- Prevent cooking grease from dripping onto hoses or propane cylinder. Grease build-up is a fire hazard.
- When finished barbecuing, make sure the barbecue is turned off and the burner flames are out. Turn off the valves or gas supply and close the barbecue lid.
BARBECUE - GRILLS
- Always use barbecue grills outdoors, a safe distance from play areas and foot traffic.
- Position the grill well away from siding, deck railing and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.
- Use starter fluid designed for grills – never use gasoline.
- Never add more fluid to build up a slow fire as a flash fire can result, instead, add more kindling or more charcoal.
- Soak coals with water before discarding to prevent their re-ignition.
CAMPFIRES
- Obey all fire laws, ordinances and regulations for your area.
- Never use gasoline to help ignite a campfire.
- Make sure that small children are placed well away from campfires.
- Keep campfires small and never leave them unattended.
- Soak hot coals with water to douse flames. Make sure your campfire is out before you leave.
GASOLINE
- Store in safety cans or containers that have been approved for the storage of flammables, store outside the home, away from pilot lights or other sources of ignition.
- Never use gasoline as a cleaner, a charcoal starter or a solvent.
- When refueling any engine, turn it off, allow it to cool and extinguish all smoking materials.
- Always keep gasoline away from children and pets.
- Never use water to put out a gasoline fire.
PROTECT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY
- Practice Stop, Drop and Roll. If you catch on fire: Stop where you are. Drop to the ground and cover your face. Roll over and over until the fire is out.
- If you are burned, run cool water over the burn. Never apply butter or salve to burns because they seal in heat and can cause further damage to the skin.
- Call 911 in case of fire.
-30-
Media Contact: Margo Bates Publicity Inc. Telephone: 604-536-9501 E-Mail: pr@burnfund.org
|
