A childhood burn survivor has turned her personal tragedy into inspiration, joining Surrey Fire Service this fall as one of 13 new recruits.
Juliette Busch, 30, grew up supported by the BC Professional Fire Fighters’ Burn Fund, attending its annual Burn Camp before later becoming a counsellor and member of its organizing committee. Now, she is the first female Burn Camp alumna to become a firefighter.
“For me, it honestly sounds crazy but being burned is one of the best things that ever happened to me,” Busch said. “It gave me opportunities for career growth, scholarships to continue my education, and so many chances to give back to my community. Something traumatic became something rewarding.”
Busch was just five years old when she suffered third-degree burns to her leg after accidentally touching a motorcycle exhaust pipe. Her connection with the Burn Fund has continued ever since, including bursaries and community involvement.
This July, during the Burn Camp launch at Hawthorne Rotary Park in Surrey, Burn Fund president Todd Schierling announced that Busch had completed six weeks of training and would be joining Surrey Fire Service.
The Burn Camp, held in Brackendale, brings together young burn survivors from across B.C. and the Yukon each summer. The program is supported by fundraising from Bright Nights, which will return to Surrey’s Cloverdale Fairgrounds as part of the Noel Holiday Light Festival from Nov. 28 to Dec. 28.
With firefighting also in her family — her father served 37 years with Vancouver Fire Department — Busch says the new role fulfills a lifelong dream.
“I knew from the very beginning this is what I was destined to do. Being raised around firefighters and nurses at Burn Camp shaped my life. Having Surrey hire me is the most wild and honoured experience of my life,” she said.
