Fresno Fire Captain Pete Dern thanks community, burn center
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- One of the newly renovated rooms in Fresno's outpatient burn unit is all about firefighters. It makes sense, because the Leon S. Peters Burn Center was started for them, and continues to treat them, like Fresno Fire Captain Pete Dern.
"It's been amazing, the care and the treatments beyond anything I could ever imagine," Dern said during his first public appearance on Friday. "It's been first class all the way."
We saw Dern walk and then talk for the first time since suffering burns on 70 percent of his body while fighting a fire in March. Dern thanked many, including the local community.
"It really matters," Dern said. "I can feel the support."
He knew it mattered, even if he couldn't understand the outpouring of generous donations, says Community Regional Medical Center Burn Services Director Sandra Yovino.
"Because it makes people in the community feel good," she said. "It makes them feel like I can give back and make a difference."
About $169,000 has been raised for Dern. Now, he is asking that any future donations be made to the burn center, which has been Dern's home for the past few months and a place that relies on donations from the community.
Recovery is a long road for any burn survivor, says Yovino. And simply stated: the long-term programs they offer cost a lot of money.
"Burn centers across the nation, we do all things for our patients," she said. "So we care for them as inpatients, care for them as outpatients, and then we follow them through their lifetime."
She says Dern now has a burn team family at the hospital and a burn family around the world.
And as he continues to heal, the Fresno Burn Center wants to make sure they can sustain their services and their care for all burn survivors that walk through their doors.
"Anyone who has been cared for by my team understands the importance and specialness of this unit, it's not a hard sell," Yovino said.
And by sell, she means donations, big and small. It's what made this firefighter room happen. And it has helped Pete Dern come as far as he has in the last 100 days.
If you would like to make a donation to the Leon S. Peters Burn Center, click here.
CORRECTION: All previous donations made to Pete Dern were used to help him with his recovery and were not donated to the burn center. Dern is asking that future donations instead be made to the burn center.
