AFL-CIO Community Services Director Will Fischer reports on the recent Walk for Burn Awareness in Boston.

More than 350 firefighters, burn survivors and supporters came together on Sunday for the second annual New England Walk for Burn Awareness.

Participants raised nearly $30,000 to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children^®—Boston, the Fire Fighters (IAFF) Burn Foundation and the Boston Firefighters Local 718 Burn Foundation.

Phil Tammaro, 3rd District IAFF Burn Foundation coordinator, said that after 18 years as a firefighter and as a burn survivor,

one thing I know for sure is that our work doesn’t end when the fire goes out. That’s why the firefighters are so committed to volunteering our time to supporting those we rescue on their road to recovery.

Post-walk highlights included a performance by the Greater Boston Firefighters Pipes & Drums band, Shriners Clowns, water shows and the Boston Fire Department boats, the Boston Blazers inflatable goal, magicians, jugglers and face painting.

 The American Burn Association estimates that fire and burn injuries are the second-leading cause of accidental death in children ages one to four, and the third-leading cause of injury and death for those ages one to 18. Each year, more than 500,000 people suffer burn injuries in the United States.

For information on the walk, visit burnawarenesswalk.org.

Is your local union involved in projects like this or other community service work? We’d love to highlight it. Please e-mail communityservices@aflcio.org.