The Clark Burn Center at Upstate

08/27/2026

Adult Burn Survivor Retreat
The Clark Burn Center and Finger Lakes Regional Burn Association are pleased to host the Adult Burn Survivor Retreat, a weekend dedicated to connection, healing, and resiliency.

📅 October 9–11, 2026
📍 New York State Fire Academy
Montour Falls, New York

The retreat is open to adult burn survivors and their support persons. Participants will have the opportunity to get away for the weekend and connect with others in a welcoming and supportive environment.

This year’s theme is resiliency, with a focus on recognizing personal strengths, drawing upon past experiences, and continuing to work toward personal successes and victories. The weekend will include practical tools for self-reflection, self-soothing, connection, and continued growth that participants can carry with them beyond the retreat.

The retreat will be co-facilitated by Dennis Gardin, burn survivor and Executive Director of the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation; Paul Schwartzman, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Regional Burn Association and psychotherapist; Tamara Roberts, RN, Burn Program Manager at the Clark Burn Center; Mary Rose Rodda, MSW, Designated Burn Social Worker at the Clark Burn Center; and Kelly Reed, RN.

There is no cost to participate, and all meals and lodging are included.

Space is limited, so early registration is strongly encouraged. Registration closes September 23, 2026.

Learn more and register at www.flrba.com or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Generous financial support for the retreat is provided by the Finger Lakes Regional Burn Association, Burn Foundation of Central New York and Advocates for Upstate.

08/23/2026

What a welcome home! Thank you North Syracuse Fire Department

08/23/2026

A community fire and burn safety outreach is underway in Utica, focusing on the Cornhill area where home fires have been increasing.

08/23/2026

Here and setting up for the survivor reunion! Kids are on their way back from 4 fun filled days at Burn camp. So grateful for North Syracuse Fire Department for hosting us again this year. This years theme- reach for the stars

08/21/2026

🔥 THERE’S STILL TIME TO REGISTER! 🔥

Spaces are still available for the First Responder & Burn Nursing Symposium—don’t miss this incredible opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and skills in burn care!

Whether you’re looking to learn something new, refresh your current skills, or build greater confidence in caring for patients with burn injuries, this symposium has something for you.

Come ready to:

🔥 Expand your knowledge of burn care
🔥 Learn practical skills you can take back to your practice
🔥 Refresh and strengthen what you already know
🔥 Network and collaborate with fellow healthcare professionals and first responders
🔥 Hear from our incredible keynote speaker, Dennis J. Gardin

📅 October 13, 2026
📍 DoubleTree Hotel | East Syracuse, NY

Burn care begins long before the patient reaches the Burn Center—and every member of the team has the power to impact a patient’s outcome.

There are still spaces available, so grab a coworker and get registered! We can’t wait to see you there! 🔥❤️

The care a burn patient receives, from the initial moments after injury through the journey of healing, can improve outcomes.

We invite first responders, EMS providers, nurses, and healthcare professionals to join us for the First Responder & Nursing Burn Care Symposium, a full-day education event focused on burn care from the scene through recovery.

This symposium offers two tracks:

Track 1: First Responders/EMTs
Track 2: Nurses

Participants will hear from burn care experts and professionals on topics including:

• High-risk burn assessment and stabilization
• Prehospital care of the burn patient
• Chemical injury and decontamination
• Airway concerns and toxic inhalation
• Burn resuscitation and critical care challenges
• Pain management
• Managing major events, including blast injuries, house fires, and SALT triage
• Rehabilitation and survivor outcomes
• Mental health, addiction, coping needs, and responder resilience
• The important role of burn nursing and certification

We are honored to welcome Dennis Gardin, burn survivor and Executive Director of the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation, as our keynote speaker.

Registration includes breakfast, lunch, time with vendor stations, and CEUs.

📍 DoubleTree Hotel, East Syracuse, NY
📅 October 13, 2026
⏰ 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM

To register, text 2026BurnCareSym to 41444 or scan the QR code on the flyer.

Please share this opportunity with first responders, EMS agencies, nurses, healthcare teams, fire departments, educators, and community partners who may benefit from this important burn care education.

Image description: Blue and white promotional flyer for the First Responder & Nursing Burn Care Symposium featuring the Clark Burn Center logo, an EMT and nurse illustration, and a registration QR code.

08/20/2026

🔥❤️ BURN CAMP SEND-OFF — AND THEY’RE OFF! ❤️🔥
What an incredible morning at Syracuse Fire Station 1 as our Clark Burn Center kids gathered for a special breakfast and send-off before heading off to Burn Camp! 🏕️🚌

A huge THANK YOU to the Syracuse firefighters who welcomed our kids and families, spent the morning with us, and provided an amazing breakfast before the journey began. Your kindness, generosity, and continued support of our burn survivors means more than we can say. 🚒❤️

Thank you to the Burn Foundation of CNY for making this incredible event possible.

The excitement this morning was contagious! For these kids, Burn Camp is so much more than going away. It is a place where young burn survivors can simply be kids—trying new things, building confidence, making lifelong friendships, and spending time with others who understand their journey. It is about courage, connection, independence, healing, and discovering just how strong they truly are. 💪🔥

Seeing the smiles, hugs, laughter, and anticipation this morning is a beautiful reminder that recovery after a burn injury extends far beyond the hospital walls. Survival is the first goal—but opportunities like Burn Camp help our kids continue their journey toward thriving. ❤️

And the celebration isn’t over!

📅 Sunday, August 23rd
🚒 North Syracuse Fire Department
❤️ Burn Camp Return & Burn Survivor Reunion

We are incredibly grateful to the North Syracuse Fire Department for hosting us as we welcome our campers home and bring our burn survivor community together for a very special reunion.

To every firefighter, volunteer, supporter, family member, and community partner who makes experiences like this possible—THANK YOU for showing our burn survivors that they never walk this journey alone.

Now it’s time for CAMP! 🏕️🔥
Have an AMAZING week, campers—we can’t wait to hear about your adventures!

08/18/2026

HOOAD and American Red Cross Eastern New York need volunteers this Saturday 8/22 for an important public outreach project. If you or someone in your organization is available please email Anna Maison at American Red Cross. Lunch will be provided! Thank you!

08/18/2026

🔥 PREVENTION IS PART OF BURN CARE 🔥
At the Clark Burn Center, our commitment to our community extends far beyond treating burn injuries. We believe one of the most powerful things we can do is help prevent an injury before it ever happens.

Fire and burn prevention is a vital part of our mission. Through education, outreach, data-driven initiatives, and strong community partnerships, our team works throughout Central and Northern New York to increase awareness and help keep children, adults, families, and first responders safe.

🚒 What does burn prevention look like at the Clark Burn Center?

🔥 Install the Device, Save a Life — Partnering with local fire departments to provide smoke alarms and home fire-safety education.

👶 Education Across the Lifespan — From infant bath and scald prevention to school programs, teen education, older-adult safety, and community presentations.

🏫 Community Outreach — Bringing fire and burn prevention education to schools, fire departments, EMS agencies, health fairs, community events, and organizations throughout our region.

🔋 Responding to Emerging Risks — Using burn data to identify trends and provide education on lithium-ion batteries, campfires, cooking injuries, space heaters, electrical injuries, and other evolving hazards.

🚑 First Responder & Healthcare Education — Providing education on burn prevention, recognition, initial management, and how those first actions can influence a patient's recovery.

📊 Data-Driven Prevention — We don't just provide education—we evaluate injury patterns and use our burn registry and community data to determine where prevention is needed most and whether our efforts are making a difference.

❤️ Supporting Survivors and Families — Prevention also means learning from the experiences of those affected by burn injuries and using those lessons to make our communities safer.

Burn injuries can happen in seconds, but many are preventable. Every smoke alarm installed, every family that practices an escape plan, every child taught about fire safety, and every first responder provided with burn education has the potential to save a life.

At the Clark Burn Center, we don't only ask, “How can we provide the best burn care?”

We also ask, “What can we do to prevent the next burn injury?”

🔥 Prevent. Protect. Educate. Empower.
Together, we can build a safer community.