Essential burn services receive over $61,000 for new equipment and programs

Clipsal by Schneider Electric and the Julian Burton Burns Trust have announced six recipients of the biannual Community Grants Program. Now in its fourth year, the program has donated over $300,000 to help community organisations purchase life-saving burns equipment, develop preventative strategies and bolster training programs.

David Gardner, Vice President, Clipsal and Schneider Electric Partner Business, said: “Our partnership with the Burns Trust is a critical part of our commitment to support local communities and the extreme adversity that burns victims can face throughout their treatment.”

“More than 4000 burns cases were admitted to Australia and New Zealand burn units between July 2009 and June 2011, with over 50% occurring at home (BRANZ, 2011). This program not only aims to provide support for burns victims, but also to raise awareness of the importance of smoke alarms in the home as a preventative measure.”

The Clipsal by Schneider Electric and Julian Burton Burns Trust Community Grants Program provides national and state-based organisations with the financial assistance to ensure they can maintain a high level of care for burns victims. The following organisations have been awarded grants:

• Royal Flying Doctor Service, Queensland:  $15,000 to purchase 20 pressure-relief mattresses and a trolley overlay for aircraft
• Children’s Hospital Networks Kids Health, Sydney: $10,133 to contribute to the development of a child safety program
• Women’s and Children Hospital, South Australia: $15,000 to build a rehabilitation gym for burns patients
• Sydney Local Health District, Concord Hospital: $11,500 to contribute to a burns prevention program as well as tools for intensive care units to improve acute burn pain assessment
• Julian Burton Burns Trust: $10,000 to provide training and support to seven burn Ambassadors

Clipsal by Schneider Electric donates 50 cents from the sale of every smoke alarm to the program. Clipsal’s 2014 donation has so far totalled more than $61,000, which is a 39% increase on its 2013 donations.

Deb Bates, General Manager, Julian Burton Burns Trust, said: “These organisations are providing lifesaving services to burns victims across Australia and the Community Grants Program provides them with access to the most up-to-date equipment and programs to maximise patient recovery.”

“The grants will also allow the Julian Burton Burns Trust alongside the grant recipients to develop preventative and educational burns programs.”