By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

As a result of the 10th annual Burn Run, organized by the East Syracuse Fire Department and held last November, $10,000 has been raised for the Burn Foundation of Central New York to help out local burn survivors.

The ESFD presented a check in that amount to James Ennis, chairman of the Burn Foundation, at the April 11 business meeting of the ESFD.

“The Burn Foundation is set up to assist our local burn survivors. Burn injuries are some of the most devastating things a human can endure,” said Ennis. “We are an all volunteer foundation so a donation like this helps a lot.”

The Burn Foundation of CNY offers support to burn survivors and their families, and one of their biggest events they put on each year is Burn Camp, a summer camp for children who are burn survivors. Ennis said donations like this one from the ESFD is crucial in ensuring the organization is able to fund their services and activities.

Marty Mullane, a firefighter with the ESFD and a burn survivor himself, explained this cause is close to the heart of many firefighters because they witness just how damaging a fire can be on a regular basis.

“I actually was in the burn unit for a month after a work-related fire. Back then, it [burn unit] wasn’t as big as it is now and the foundation has started to offer more to people who have to stay there,” said Mullane.

The 11th annual Burn Run will be held Nov. 5, and the ESFD hopes to raise about $11,000.

To learn more about the Burn Run, go to theburnrun.org.

To learn more about the Burn Foundation of Central New York, go to burnfoundationofcny.org or “Like” them on Facebook.