History of the Burn Fund

Written by Gerry Lister

In 1978 I went to Edmonton to curl in the Canadian Firefighters Curling Championship. While there I was introduced to Joe Hudson, the chair of the Edmonton Burn Unit Fund. He asked if we did anything for our local burn unit. I responded that I wasn't aware that we had one. He outlined their involvement and I became very interested.

As fate would have it, I found out that we did have a Burn Unit of sorts. A Senior Victoria Fire Officer received serious burns at a Fire in the B.C. Forest Products Plywood Plant and was treated at the Burn Unit in a tiny, isolated room in the old St. Joseph's Hospital.

I was appalled by the conditions, lack of equipment and staff to treat our local citizens. It became clear upon visiting my Captain, that as a firefighter, our city and hospital had neglected to maintain their educational and equipment needs, thus forcing burn patients and their families to seek help in Vancouver. (Dr. Paul Garreau, a renowned Plastic Surgeon in Victoria has since written a history of the Burn Unit .That very same year, Dale Shatford, President of Oak Bay Local 1856 and myself started investigating the possibility of establishing a Burn Fund to raise funds for better treatment in Victoria

The first executive was selected at the Victoria Curling Club after Firefighters curling. Dale Shatford and I explained the enormity of this cause and asked for volunteers amongst the curlers present. Colin Mantik from the M.O.T. Pat Bay Airport and Lance Lucas, President of D.N.D. Fire Service were the first to volunteer. A very humble beginning one would say.

 
Dale and I started discussion with the Edmonton Firefighters Burn Treatment Society in 1978/79/80 before discussing with Bakersfield Artistic Consultants, the company that was doing the Magic Shows for Edmonton's Burn Fund. We traveled at our own expense to investigate the possibilities of the fundraising event. Before entering into any contract to provide us with a show in Victoria, we met with Mike Platz, President of the company and Joe Patterson, President of Local 730 in 1981 to ensure their credibility. Joe Patterson was pleased with our meeting and wished us good luck.

The following year we had our first Magic Show at the Royal Theater. The same show provided for Edmonton. What started out to be a shot in the dark, turned out to be a tremendous success. We broke even in the first few years and the Burn Fund became more visible in our community with our executive members being very active in schools and various community groups. What really triggered us into a skyrocketing position and brought attention to our cause was when the World Professional Snooker Champion, Cliff Thorburn, OC, put on a snooker exhibition at the University Center Auditorium. Some 1800 people came to watch their hometown hero match his skill with Jimmy Wythch in a snooker exhibition that this city has never witnessed... World Class Competition.

The timing was perfect as that year they announced that a new Burn Unit was to be constructed at the Royal Jubilee Hospital as part of the Royal Wing. It was to be a two-bed unit. Dale and I talked to the Nurses and they felt that we actually would need a 4-bed unit. I telephoned the then Minister of Health, Ralph Loffmark and a meeting with him discussing the possibilities of a 4-bed unit was arranged.