Recognizing burn “Heroes”

A fifth-floor kiosk at Community Regional honors those who have helped with the annual Fill the Helmet campaign to benefit patients and their families at the Peters Burn Center.

In appreciation of the gifts collected in the annual Fill the Helmet campaigns, a "Heroes" kiosk has been placed on the fifth floor alcove of Community Regional Medical Center’s trauma and critical care building for all to see.

For eight years, firefighters throughout the Valley have joined Community Medical Centers staff and volunteers to make a difference for patients and their families at the hospital’s Leon S. Peters Burn Center.

Fill the Helmet was the brainchild of Fresno City Fire Department captain Chuck Leach and registered nurse Sandra Yovino, manager of the Peters Burn Center. They took the concept to other fire departments from Fresno to Tulare County.

“Because firefighters are familiar with the care their burn survivors receive by our nurses and physicians in the Peters Burn Center, it was a natural team effort,” Yovino said.

The names of the many participants over the years and the dollars they raised are inscribed on the kiosk’s gold panels. The kiosk also displays the helmet of a New York City firefighter who lost his life on 9-11. The firefighter was a friend of a Community burn nurse.

“This kiosk also belongs to the Community employees who have worked alongside the firefighters and the burn team to raise public awareness for burn prevention,” Yovino said. “Because of the Fill the Helmet campaigns, together we are able to give even more to burn survivors and families who depend on us.”

Groundbreaking is scheduled this spring for Terry’s House, a 17,000-square foot, hotel-like facility on the Community Regional campus where burn and trauma patients’ families traveling from all over the Valley can stay while their loved ones receive critical care.

Community Regional houses the only burn and Level 1 trauma center between Los Angeles and Sacramento.

This story was reported by Eddie Hughes. He can be reached at eddieh@communitymedical.org.

Monday, February 11, 2008