Rescue to Recovery: Firefighters Burn Institute and the Power of Community

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What happens once the flames are out?

In this powerful episode, I sit down with Joe Pick, Executive Director of the Firefighters Burn Institute and a 30-year veteran of the fire service, to explore what recovery really looks like for burn survivors and their families.

Born from tragedy following a devastating 1972 plane crash in Sacramento, the Firefighters Burn Institute was created to ensure our region would never again be without specialized burn care . What began as an effort to establish a local burn unit has grown into a comprehensive, lifelong support system for burn survivors — from emergency response to emotional recovery.

Joe shares how the Institute now serves hundreds of individuals and families each year through:

• Little Firefighters Kids Camp (ages 6–17)
• Little Heroes Family Retreat (for children under six and their families)
• Mental health support and trauma-informed counseling
• Survivor peer groups and virtual BurnNet gatherings
• Community-building events that help reduce isolation
• Partnerships with burn centers and survivor organizations across the country

This conversation goes beyond the medical side of burn injuries. We talk about grief, guilt, psychological safety, and the importance of sacred spaces where families can process trauma together. Joe speaks candidly about what it means to move from the fireground — where firefighters often hand patients off at the hospital — to walking alongside survivors for years in their healing journey.

One of the most moving themes of this episode is simple but profound: no one heals alone. The Institute’s work ensures that survivors don’t just survive — they rebuild confidence, connection, and community.

We also discuss one of their greatest current needs: expanded access to trauma-informed mental health care for burn survivors and caregivers — a critical but often underfunded piece of long-term recovery.

If you’ve ever dropped a dollar in a firefighter’s boot during a Fill the Boot drive, this episode shows you exactly where that impact goes.

To learn more or get involved, visit: ffburn.org

🎙️ Episode Chapters

00:00 – The 1972 Tragedy That Sparked a Movement
03:00 – From Burn Unit to Lifelong Survivor Care
07:00 – Little Firefighters Kids Camp & Little Heroes Retreat
12:00 – National Partnerships & Survivor Support Networks
16:00 – Why Mental Health Access Is the Greatest Need
19:00 – Building Community Through Events & Outreach
23:00 – How Survivors Discover the Institute
27:00 – A Firefighter’s Perspective on Trauma & Healing
30:00 – “Bad Things Happen. Good Things Can Too.”
33:00 – How to Support the Firefighters Burn Institute

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