Firefighters help burn institute

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cindy Alejandrez
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Members with the 349th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron collected approximately 1,500 toys for the Firefighters Burn Institute, which were distributed among young burn survivors.

Now the institute asks for continued assistance from members of the 349th Air Mobility Wing.

The Firefighters Burn Institute is a nonprofit organization which provides burn victims with care by supporting burn treatment facilities such as the centers at University of California Davis Medical Center and Shiners Hospital for Children in Sacramento.

The institute, comprised of Sacramento area firefighters, also holds camps, conventions and provides counseling for victims.

Jim Doucette, executive director for the institute, met with members of the 349th AMXS Rising Six to thank them for the donated toys and to highlight the work done by the institute. He also thanked Staff Sgt. Marcus Carrion, 349th AMXS Rising Six executive director, for coordinating the toy drive.

Carrion, who is an electrical and environmental systems technician with 349th AMXS, is a volunteer firefighter with the Georgetown Fire Protection District and a volunteer for Firefighters Burn Institute.

Doucette also brought along burn victim Chris Cvitanov to share his story. Cvitanov was badly burned in a fiery vehicle accident in 2005. After the accident he only had a 3- to 5- percent chance of survival. Cvitanov recovered, but suffered life-altering damage to his body, including the loss of most of his left leg.

He explained that his emotional recovery also was difficult but was eased by his participation with the institute.

"It is an absolute gift for me to be a part of this organization," Cvitanov said. "This organization has changed the lives for people who do not have resources."

Tech. Sgt. Michael Sligh, 349th AMXS Rising Six president, said stories such as Cvitanov's motive himself and the rest of the Rising Six to volunteer for the institute. They voted to adopt the Firefighters Burn Institute as their charity of the year and hope others in the 349th AMW join them.

"Giving back gives people things to look forward to," Sligh said. "Travis is so busy and it's hard to commit to other things but the 349th is just awesome. They want to participate in things like this."

Sligh, an auto-flight instrument navigation specialist, explained that the Rising Six would like to look for new, innovative ways to help the institute raise funds because volunteering helps the individual Airman become a better wingman.

"Volunteering with the institute is beneficial to both groups because they are helping a charity that is local and because they're local we can see the end results," Carrion said. "It's nice that you can close that loop when you are working with the local community."