Firefighters Will Hit the Streets Tuesday To Raise Money for the Burn Institute

You may see firefighters holding up a rubber boot at various locations around San Diego County on Tuesday. They'll be raising money for the Burn Institute, as they do every year. If you want to donate, make sure to have some cash with you.

The annual Firefighter Boot Drive will take place on 100 San Diego County street corners, according to a news release. The drive, which is in its 13^th year, benefits the Burn Institute, a nonprofit health agency dedicated to reducing the number of burn injuries and deaths in San Diego, Imperial, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Last year, the Burn Institute raised nearly $210,000 during the drive. Proceeds benefit the institute's fire and burn prevention education programs and burn survivor support programs such as Camp Beyond the Scars for burn-injured children, from 5- to 17-years-old.

The Boot Drive is sponsored by the San Diego–Imperial County Fire Fighters Advisory Council to the Burn Institute and the San Diego County Fire Chiefs’ Association. All of the funds raised will stay in San Diego County and the top fire department from each region will win the Burn Institute’s highly-coveted bronze Boot Drive trophy.

This Boot Drive and the firefighters who volunteer their time for it are critical to the funding of the institute, James Floros, the Burn Institute Executive Director and CEO stated.

“The Boot Drive has become one of the Institute’s most successful events,” he said. ”The fire service really is the backbone of this organization. As a team we can do great things for the community.”

Ramona Fire and Intermountain Fire will be collecting cash at:

1.  Main and Tenth Street at Station 80  

2. San Vicente and Gunn Stage Roads in the San Diego Country Estates

3. Highway 67 and Dye Road at Station 82/Mt. Woodson

Barona Fire Protection District will collect cash at Wildcat Canyon Road and Founder Way.

Borrego Springs Fire Protection District will collect at;

1. Christmas Circle

2. Palm Canyon and Montezuma Road

Julian Fire Department will collect at Main Street and Highway 78, Julian

Warner Springs Fire Department will collect at 31652 Highway 79, Warner Springs.