The New York Firefighters Burn Center Foundation is a 501(c) (3) public charity, non-profit organization our firefighters founded in 1975, dedicated to the advancement of burn care, research, prevention, education, and the proper treatment of burns.

During the Vietnam War, two New York City Firefighters, Joe Hickey and Jack Meara, were deeply moved by a news photograph of two Vietnamese children who had been severely burned by napalm. They wanted to help these youngsters. They thought that with a little help from friends they might be able to bring these children to New York for treatment.

They then discovered, to their surprise, that there were no medical facilities in the New York area devoted exclusively to the treatment of burns.

While hospitals coped with burn victims as well as they could, there were none that specialized in the treatment of severe burn injuries.

Alarmed by their findings, the firefighters decided to do something about the situation. As other firefighters joined in their efforts they began working with physicians and other concerned citizens, and were eventually instrumental in the establishment of the BURN CENTER at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. Our goal is to make quality burn care available to all who are seriously burned, regardless of age, race, creed or economic status. This site is designed to inform you of what we do including: upcoming events, fund-raisers, and burn care assistance.

Firefighters and members of the Burn Team have a special empathy for burn victims. No other group witnesses more of the devastation that fire wreaks on the human body.

No compensation has ever been paid to any firefighter associated with the Foundation or with its fund raising activities.