Alecia Foster
DOWNTOWN -- Glendale Fireman Scott French has been there.
Four years ago, he and colleague Bill Jensen were seriously burned
fighting a fire in Malibu.
Both recovered, but it took a lot of work -- both physically and
mentally.
"It's a big, emotional roller coaster," French said.
It also often involves keeping up with a number of hospital bills, the
19-year veteran firefighter said.
That's where the Firefighter's Quest for Burn Survivors comes in.
The nonprofit organization was formed in 1996 to help burn victims.
The group holds several fund-raisers a year and their biggest, the Quest
Rally, is right around the corner.
The weeklong event has 65 fire and law enforcement agencies traveling
relay style through several California cities to pick up donations.
Fire trucks from each city will chauffeur, then pass off celebrities
like former weatherman Dr. George Fishbeck to other fire companies at
stops to pick up donations for burn victims.
"The celebrity is like a human baton," French said.
Glendale firefighters will caravan through the streets with a police
escort on June 6. They will stop to pick up two donations -- one from the
City Council and one from the city's firefighters.
This year's donations are expected to total about $4,000, French said.
He estimated that $165,000 has been raised during the past four years of
the event.
Money raised will go to places like the Grossman Burn Center, fire
education programs and to individuals recovering from burns.
The Glendale portion of the Quest route will begin at the Rusty
Pelican shortly after 9 a.m.
IF YOU GO
To catch a glimpse of the Glendale portion of the caravan of fire and
police vehicles, keep an eye out at these times:
9:15 a.m. -- Glendale Fire Department picks up celebrity guest at the
Rusty Pelican. The caravan will head west along Wilson Avenue to Isabel
Street.
9:30 a.m. -- Glendale Police will make a presentation to the
firefighters and will pick up City Council members at the police station
at Wilson and Isabel.
The caravan will take Isabel Street to Broadway and make a right on
Columbus Avenue. From Columbus, it will turn right onto Harvard Street
and arrive at Fire Station 21.
10:15 a.m. -- The caravan will leave the station, taking Columbus to
Broadway, turning left. It will take Broadway to San Fernando Road,
turning right. From San Fernando Road, it will turn left on Alameda, then
a right into the parking lot where it will switch off to the Burbank Fire
Department.
