Volunteer Spotlight – Joseph
Our mission to reduce burn injuries and support burn survivors is made possible by our dedicated volunteers. They give their time, skills, and compassion to help us carry out our life-changing work. Roles range from educating the community on burn prevention to directly supporting burn survivors through rehabilitation and recovery programs. We are honored to introduce you to one of our Fire Safe Senior volunteers, Joseph Chen.
What inspired you to volunteer at the Burn Institute?
I was previously volunteering with the Red Cross Sound the Alarm program. One point there was a mutual event where both organizations installed smoke alarms. I was curious as I had heard about the Burn Institute. So I reached out and the rest is history. That was over 5 years ago.
2.) Can you tell me what it is like volunteering for Fire Safe Seniors?
It’s great! One great thing that I enjoy is the flexibility and no-nonsense approach. It allows us the volunteers to use our best judgment to handle each situation and tailor it to each client. Staff are excellent and check in with us regularly.
3.) Can you describe a challenge you’ve faced during your volunteer work?
Sometimes clients are unaware that the new fire codes have been updated to have a smoke detector in each bedroom. There have been a few clients who have strongly pushed back on this and view it as unnecessary. When this happens we take the time to explain to them the reason for smoke detectors, mainly that they are designed to wake up someone who is sleeping and that the speed that fires can spread make early detection, if only for a few extra seconds greatly enhances life safety.
4.) Do you feel your volunteerism is making a difference?
The feeling of peace of mind and security is priceless. The seniors we serve often don’t have the time or mental energy to get smoke detectors replaced on their own, so our service that reduces the “friction” to get it done is well worth the cause.
5.) What would you say to someone else who is considering volunteering for the Burn Institute?
I would tell them that it is easy to volunteer. Often, there are multiple barriers to enter volunteering, so having an easy way to get some idea of what the experience will be like helps to get a first step into volunteering.
6.) What brings you joy?
I have a late-night hobby of refurbishing IKEA furniture. I call it woodworking lite. Someday I may graduate into making or repairing “real” furniture (LOL).