Burn Institute honors O’Neil with volunteer award

Del Mar Fire Capt. Patrick (Pat) O’Neil recently received the 2010 Pam Kelly Volunteer of the Year Award from Burn Institute.

The institute noted in a press release that O’Neil has been involved with the Institute for nearly two decades, first as a counselor at the organization’s first burn camp in 1994 and later as assistant director at Camp Beyond The Scars for eight years.

“As a firefighter, one of the things we like to do is to give back to the community,” said O’Neil. “Working with burn survivors (and kids especially), is a great feeling and a great honor. We learn a lot; they have so much they give to us. That’s what first brought me to the Burn Institute.”

O’Neil serves on the Fire Fighters Advisory Council to the Burn Institute (FFACBI) and is involved in the Burn Run-FIRE EXPO and Firefighter Boot Drive. As an event participant, he has driven a car in the Demo Derby; as a leader, he has chaired the FIRE EXPO and broadened the BI’s event roster by founding the First Responder Day at the Races held in Del Mar.