The Mechanical Contractors Association of New York (MCA) announced that it has raised $34,000 for the New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation, which provides crucial support for research, education, and prevention, as well as medical care, for burn victims.
At its November membership meeting, MCA President Michael Russo, Board member Timothy Bowe and Steamfittting Industry Promotion Fund Chairman James Botto presented a check to the Foundation on behalf of MCA’s New York Fire Sprinkler Council, which was recently created to further spread awareness of the importance of fire suppression systems in saving lives and protecting property. “The work of the Foundation has significantly improved the lives of burn survivors and we are honored to support their efforts,” aid Bowe.
“When you find an organization like the Burn Center Foundation that does such incredible work and is so closely aligned with our industry’s mission, they become the obvious choice for our Association to give back to,” added Russo.
Fire sprinkler contractors have been raising funds for the Foundation since 2000, and total industry contributions have now reached more than $667,000. The MCA’s Steamfitting Industry Promotion Fund alone has contributed $147,500 over the past 16 years, in addition to annual donations by individual MCA members and suppliers.
The Burn Center Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds and awareness for the advancement of quality burn care, research, prevention, and education. The primary beneficiary of the Foundation is the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center’s William Randolph Hearst Burn Center, the largest and busiest center of burn care in the nation.
During the MCA meeting, New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation Board members Firefighter Ralph Longo and Firefighter Andrew Marrotta gave a presentation about the outstanding work performed by both the Foundation and the staff of the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center. Following the presentation, nearly $5,000 additional funds were pledged by industry members in attendance.
Foundation Executive Director Gwen Curran; Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery and Director of the William Randolph Hearst Burn Center Dr. James Gallagher, MD, FACS; Burn Center Patient Care Director Jamie Heffernan and Research Nurse Angela Rabbit were also on hand to accept the donation.
