Manitoba Firefighters Burn Unit, Dedicated 2007

The rehabilitation process for a burn survivor can be a long, painful one. When burns and inhalation injuries become life-threatening or are serious enough to require skin grafting or reconstructive surgery, Manitoba burn survivors are transferred to one of two Winnipeg-based burn units – the Manitoba Firefighters Burn Unit at the Health Sciences Centre and the Manitoba Firefighters Burn Fund Children’s Burn Unit at the Children’s Hospital.

Major burns require treatment from a specialized team of nurses, physicians, plastic surgeons, pulmonary specialists, psychologists, dietitians, physical and occupational therapists and social workers. To ensure that the burn units are equipped with the most advanced life-saving and care-giving equipment, the Burn Fund finances the purchase of specialized equipment for all stages of treatment, including emergency wards, operating theaters, intensive care units, burn units and rehabilitation.

Because of the dedication of the burn care teams and the commitment of the Burn Fund to support their work, Manitoba’s burn survivors receive the finest medical care possible.

Almost 30 years ago, a few firefighters recognized there was a need for equipment at the Burn Unit. The 1st fundraiser ever done for the Burn Fund was to raise funds for a heat shield that could be used on the burn unit to keep patients warm during dressing changes. Since then, the Burn Fund has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars towards the purchase of specialized equipment to aid in the treatment of burn survivors.

The Burn Fund is dedicated to making a difference in the treatment of burn survivors, providing such things as; low air loss beds, hydrotherapy baths, a conscious sedation cart, a metabolic cart, food pumps, training and supplies for a skin camouflage program, an operating microscope, conversion of rooms to create an Occupational Therapy facility within the Burn Unit and much more.

Supporting Research & Professional Development

The Burn Fund has long been a supporter of the burn care professionals in the province. We are committed to sponsoring educational programs for the Burn Care teams at the Health Sciences Centre’s CK3 Children’s Burn Unit, and GH5 Adult Burn Unit.

The Burn Fund is devoted to ensuring that these dedicated professionals can continue to provide the best patient care possible. This includes continuing education seminars, conferences, Advanced Burn Life Support (ABLS) courses and many other educational opportunities.

We also provide funding for public education officers across the province to be certified in the Youth Fire Stop Program to assist youth who are at risk for starting fires.

The Firefighters Burn Fund, in partnership with Red River Mutual and the Office of the Fire Commissioner have purchased and delivered a fleet of 17 Fire Safety Trailers to Fire Departments throughout Manitoba. These are in addition to 5 other Trailers that were  previously purchased by the Burn Fund, making a total of 22 units in service. The trailers are being strategically placed so that they can be shared by approximately 150 different Fire Departments.

The Fire Safety Trailers are mobile classrooms in which firefighters will teach children about fire and safety hazards in different areas of their homes, and how they should conduct themselves in the event of an emergency. Lessons taught include topics such as: kitchen safety, what to do if the smoke detector is activated, how to call 911, checking a door for heat to determine if there is fire on the other side, crawling low in smoke. Children are also taught to create a home escape plan with their parents, always having 2 ways to exit the house, gathering at a pre-determined location, and calling 9-1-1 once safely out of the house.

We gratefully acknowledge the financial, moral and logistical support of Red River Mutual and the Office of the Fire Commissioner who have helped to make this $1,000,000.00 project possible. Our common goal is to prevent fires, and reduce the number of fire deaths and related injuries that occur each year.

This young adult weekend retreat provides young adults age 18 – 30 with an environment to challenge them physically and mentally. The weekend is packed with speakers who encourage the group to grow in all areas, mentally, spiritually and physically. This provides adult burn survivors with the opportunity to connect and build lasting relationships through a common bond.