Firefighters praise survivors

Former Glendale Firefighter Bill Jensen survived burns on every part of his body except his head and chest while battling the 1996 Malibu brush fire. After he was released from the hospital, he wanted to help other burn survivors recover.

“When I went to the hospital, I was there 3 1/2 months,” said Jensen, who was given a 5% percent chance of surviving his injuries.

“My family and firefighters would come in and see people and kids who did not have any visitors.”

Jensen along with firefighters and volunteers from more than a dozen fire departments agreed it was important to address the needs of the people recovering from burns suffered in the Malibu fire.

They decided to use their status in the community to raise funds and awareness during a rally and formed the Firefighters Quest for Burn Survivors.

That quest to raise money for those affected by burn injuries continued on Friday, as more than 75 people traveled in firetrucks and police cars with sirens blaring and red lights flashing through Glendale and Burbank.

The caravan made stops throughout Southern California during the five-day Quest Rally, now in its 12th year, and helped the nonprofit raise more than $200,000.

The funds will benefit local burn centers and foundations as well as burn survivors and their families.

On Friday, Jensen stood in front of the Vons at 561 N. Glendale Ave. in Glendale, and store employees presented a $25,000 check to the nonprofit.

Vons has supported the nonprofit for three years, said Daymond W. Rice, director of government relations and chairman of the Vons Foundation.

“Clearly, they do tremendous work for fire [survivors], and I think they highlight their cause well,” he said.

Craig Hammond, who serves as the nonprofit’s public information officer and is a Glendale firefighter and paramedic, said the success of the event depends on community support.

“It’s good to have support from the community because that’s where our donations ultimately go,” he said. “[The fundraiser is] not only for police or fire departments but for . . . anybody who gets burned.”

During the event, volunteers and firefighters answer questions and talk about the fundraiser, while some survivors share their experiences, Hammond said.

“Having a bunch of survivors here is a teaching and educational experience for the community to learn and see what they’ve experienced,” he said.

“It’s also therapeutic for the survivors. A lot of them may not have had a lot of outreach with the community or talked about their injuries, so it’s a healing process for them, too.”

Jensen agreed that the nonprofit has helped him heal.

“It has been wonderful to go out and see other burn survivors to find out how they’re dealing with life,” he said.

“By raising money, we help them see what we can do to help make a better life for them.”