The Clark Burn Center at Upstate

The Clark Burn Center at Upstate An American Burn Association Verified Burn Center providing expert burn care for adults and children across 37 counties. Follow us to learn more.

From injury through recovery, we deliver compassionate, high-quality care, outreach and education.

The Clark Burn Center is proud to recognize Alecia Helkin, BSN, RN, Burn Program Quality Improvement and Performance Coo...
06/03/2026

The Clark Burn Center is proud to recognize Alecia Helkin, BSN, RN, Burn Program Quality Improvement and Performance Coordinator, for her poster presentation titled, “Using Surveillance Definitions to Identify Burn Complications and Support Accurate Coding.”

Alecia’s presentation highlighted her work to support consistency in burn care documentation, communication, and quality reporting. Her efforts help strengthen collaboration across the care team and reflect the Clark Burn Center’s continued commitment to excellence and ongoing improvement in patient care.

Please join us in congratulating Alecia on this professional accomplishment and her outstanding representation of the Clark Burn Center and Upstate Nursing.

Alecia, thank you for your passion, dedication, and commitment to our patients and team.

Image description:
Alecia Helkin, BSN, RN, Burn Program Quality Improvement and Performance Coordinator, stands beside her poster presentation titled, “Using Surveillance Definitions to Identify Burn Complications and Support Accurate Coding.”

🚨 It’s the first of the month, time to test your smoke alarms!Your reminder from the Clark Burn Center Team: take a minu...
06/01/2026

🚨 It’s the first of the month, time to test your smoke alarms!

Your reminder from the Clark Burn Center Team: take a minute today to press the test button on every smoke alarm in your home.

A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as having no smoke alarm at all. Smoke alarms only work when they are properly installed and regularly tested.

✅ Hear the beep? It’s working.
🔇 No beep? Check the battery or replace the alarm.
🐤 Chirp… chirp… chirp? Don’t ignore it.

If your alarm has a replaceable battery, change the battery and test it again.
If it has a sealed 10-year battery, replace the alarm according to the manufacturer’s

Source: FEMA/U.S. Fire Administration


Image description: Reminder graphic to test smoke alarms on the first of the month. It shows a smoke alarm with a red arrow pointing to the test button.

Sprinkles of Support Community EventThe Clark Burn Center at Upstate University Hospital is pleased to share the return ...
05/31/2026

Sprinkles of Support Community Event

The Clark Burn Center at Upstate University Hospital is pleased to share the return of Sprinkles of Support, hosted by Davis-Ulmer Fire Protection – Syracuse.

We are grateful to Davis-Ulmer Fire Protection – Syracuse for coordinating this meaningful community event in support of burn survivors, families, and our community.

The event will be held Friday, July 10, 2026, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Long Branch Park in Liverpool.

This free, family-friendly event will include fire trucks, hot dogs and snacks, Skippy’s Ice Cream, face painting, raffles and more.

Come visit The Clark Burn Center team and learn more about burn prevention and fire safety.

We can’t wait to see you all there!

Image description: Sprinkles of Support event flyer with date, time, location, activities, and contact information.

Burn Champion Class in action! Nurses from across the hospital came together with a shared purpose: strengthening the ca...
05/29/2026

Burn Champion Class in action!
 
Nurses from across the hospital came together with a shared purpose: strengthening the care we provide for burn patients.
 
Burn care is complex. It requires an understanding of how a burn injury impacts the patient physically, emotionally, and through every stage of the injury.
 
Education focused on the specialized elements of burn care that make a difference at the bedside, including hypothermia prevention, fluid resuscitation, infection prevention, nutrition, trauma-informed care, positioning, range of motion, activity, splinting, and pain management using the Functional Pain Scale.
 
The hands-on portion gave nurses the opportunity to practice building burn dressings using appropriate layers and BandNet application. These skills help protect injured skin and grafts, promote comfort, reduce shearing, and support healing.
 
Thank you to each of these nurses for their commitment to burn care excellence and for helping strengthen the care our patients receive.
 
This is what creating Burn Champions is all about: education, teamwork, and a commitment to excellence in burn care for every burn patient we care for.

📣 Please help us spread the word! The Clark Burn Center at Upstate University Hospital is excited to host the First Resp...
05/28/2026

📣 Please help us spread the word!

The Clark Burn Center at Upstate University Hospital is excited to host the First Responder & Nursing Burn Care Symposium on October 13, 2026, from 7:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

This full-day education event is designed for first responders, EMTs, nurses, and healthcare professionals who care for burn-injured patients across the continuum of care.

The symposium will feature two separate educational tracks:• EMS/First Responders Track• Nursing Track

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: Flyer for the First Responder & Nursing Burn Care Symposium hosted by the Upstate Clark Burn Center. The flyer includes blue and white design elements, the Upstate Clark Burn Center logo, an illustration of an EMT and nurse, and a QR code for registration. Full event details are provided in the post text.

May is Older Adult Month, and we are celebrating the community partners who help bring burn prevention and fire safety e...
05/28/2026

May is Older Adult Month, and we are celebrating the community partners who help bring burn prevention and fire safety education to older adults across our region.

This work is stronger because of partnership.

To our County Offices for Aging, senior center leaders, activity coordinators, local fire departments, and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control Risk Reduction Unit, thank you. Your support helps bring important safety education directly into the communities you serve.

Together in 2026, our partnerships have connected with:
✅ 15 senior centers
✅ 5 counties: Madison, Saratoga, Broome, Onondaga, and Cortland
✅ 455 older adults through 1-hour interactive safety sessions
Each session focuses on how burn and fire risks can change with age. Knowledge is power, and awareness helps us notice everyday risks that may be easy to overlook in our routines.

Education includes:
🏠 Cooking safety
♨️ Safe heating practices
🚨 Smoke and carbon monoxide alarm safety
🫁 Medical oxygen safety
🔋 Lithium-ion battery safety
💧 Scald prevention
🚪 Home escape planning

These sessions help older adults recognize risks, make small safety changes at home, and think through what to do before an emergency happens. Some sessions have even prompted coordinated escape planning within senior centers.

When partners come together, prevention reaches farther. Awareness grows. Risks are reduced. More lives are touched.

Would you like us to come to your county or senior center?
Contact: Kelly Reed, RN
Burn Injury Prevention and Education Outreach Coordinator
[email protected] | 315-415-4635 or 315-464-9688

05/24/2026

Rain, rain, go away… but grill safety is here to stay! ☔✅
 
Dr. Dolinak’s pup, Bagheera, may be dressed for the weather, but we are already thinking ahead to summer cookouts.
 
Before the sunshine comes back and the grills fire up, take a few minutes to make safety part of your cookout plan:
 
✅ Use propane and charcoal grills outdoors only.
✅ Place grills away from the home, deck railings, overhangs, branches, and anything that can catch fire.
✅ Clean your grill and empty grease trays before cooking.
✅ Open the lid before lighting a gas grill.
✅ Use long-handled utensils and grill mitts.
✅ Keep loose sleeves, towels, and long hair away from flames and hot surfaces.
✅ Keep kids and pets at least 3 feet away from the grill.
 
A grill fire can become a burn injury in seconds. A few simple steps can help protect hands, arms, faces, clothing, little feet, and furry paws.
Stay burn and fire safe this cookout season. ❤️💙
 
Reel Description:
This reel contains the grill safety tips provided in the post. Slides feature patriotic red, white, and blue graphics; Dr. Dolinak’s dog, Bagheera, wearing a blue raincoat with yellow ducks; a rainy grill scene; a Clark Burn Center team photo; and grill safety graphics about safe outdoor grilling, cleaning the grill, opening the lid before lighting, using long-handled tools and grill mitts, and keeping kids and pets at least 3 feet away.

What an incredible day at Trauma Fest!Thank you to Upstate Trauma for coordinating such a meaningful event for our Upsta...
05/22/2026

What an incredible day at Trauma Fest!

Thank you to Upstate Trauma for coordinating such a meaningful event for our Upstate family. We were grateful for the opportunity to share burn prevention and fire safety education with our Upstate colleagues.

A special thank you to the Syracuse Fire Department for joining us and bringing the fire truck, energy, expertise, and fun to the day. Thank you for supporting our unit and for the work you do every day to care for and protect our community.

We appreciate everyone who stopped by, asked questions, and helped make the day such a success. Together, we can continue working to prevent burn injuries and keep our Upstate family safe.

Image descriptions in order:
1. Members of the Syracuse Fire Department and Clark Burn Center Burn Program staff stand together in front of a Syracuse fire truck during Trauma Fest.
2. Clark Burn Center Burn Program staff share burn prevention and fire safety education with a participant at the Trauma Fest table.
3. The Clark Burn Center prevention education table is set up under an Upstate tent with burn prevention and fire safety resources on display.

🔥 Fire Departments: Partner With Us!The Clark Burn Center at Upstate University Hospital serves communities across 37 co...
05/18/2026

🔥 Fire Departments: Partner With Us!
The Clark Burn Center at Upstate University Hospital serves communities across 37 counties in Central and Northern New York, and we are looking to partner with local fire departments to bring our Install the Device, Save a Life smoke alarm and burn prevention education event to more communities.
 
Participants will receive a FREE 10-year sealed lithium smoke alarm, along with burn and fire prevention education designed to help families reduce risk and improve home safety.
 
Education topics can be tailored to meet the needs of your community and may include:
🏠 Reducing home fire and burn injury risk
🚪 Guided home escape planning
🔥 Campfire safety
⚠️ Carbon monoxide poisoning prevention and recognition
🩹 Burn first aid
🔋 Lithium-ion battery safety and care
✅ Room-by-room home safety tips
 
Together, we can help families recognize risks, prepare for emergencies, and make their homes safer.
We are happy to schedule an in-person or virtual meeting to answer questions and discuss how this event can be brought to your community.
 
Interested in partnering with us?
Contact: Kelly Reed
Burn Injury Prevention & Outreach Education Coordinator
Clark Burn Center / Upstate University Hospital
📧 [email protected]
📞 315-464-9688 or 315-415-4635
Let’s make communities safer — one community at a time.          
 
Image description: Promotional flyer for the Clark Burn Center’s “Install the Device, Save a Life” smoke detector and safety community education event. The flyer invites fire departments to partner with the program and highlights a free 10-year sealed lithium battery smoke alarm for participants. Full event details and contact information are included in the post.

Healing doesn’t end at discharge.At the Clark Burn Center, our care extends beyond the hospital stay.Recovery after a bu...
05/17/2026

Healing doesn’t end at discharge.
At the Clark Burn Center, our care extends beyond the hospital stay.

Recovery after a burn injury can be a long journey, and support can make a meaningful difference. Our Burn Survivor Support Group offers a safe, welcoming space for burn survivors, family members, friends, and caregivers to connect with others who understand, share experiences, and find encouragement along the way.

💙 Support group can provide:
• Connection with others who understand
• Encouragement and emotional support
• A safe space to listen and share
• Helpful resources and ongoing support
• Hope through community and shared experience

📅 Meets: Second Tuesday of each month
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM
📍 Options: Join in person or virtually

You are welcome to participate in the way that feels right for you — whether that means sharing, listening, asking questions, or simply being present.
There is no pressure. No expectation. You are welcome here.

🔗 Join virtually:
https://upstate.webex.com/upstate/j.php?MTID=m47831a8f2533707920fc4f0e1c49b2b6

Join our Facebook group: Burn Survivors of Central New York
For questions: [email protected]

Image description: Flyer promoting the Clark Burn Center Burn Survivor Support Group, with meeting information, a QR code for virtual access, and contact details.

Address

750 East Adams Street
Syracuse, NY
13210

Website

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