Burn Prevention Network Partners with WFMZ to Host 16th Annual Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage Awards Celebration

• Awards event will be broadcast on 69 WFMZ-TV on Monday, Nov. 15, 7-7:30 p.m.
• Seventeen brave firefighters, police officers, and everyday citizens will recount the life-or-death incidents that earned them Spirit of Courage awards.
• One special burn survivor/advocate will be awarded the Walter J. Okunski Phoenix Award, recognizing the outstanding work they’ve done for others in the burn survivor community.
• Press may arrange interviews with winners by emailing [email protected]

Allentown, PA, Nov. 9, 2021 – The annual Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage award program is produced by the local Burn Prevention Network and sponsored by Valley Preferred, the preferred provider organization affiliated with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), along with LVHN. For the second year in a row, the awardee stories of bravery will be broadcast on WFMZ-TV in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our honorees have incredible stories to tell, and we’re privileged to be able to celebrate each and every one of them in this new, exciting way,” said Dan Dillard, Executive Director/CEO of Burn Prevention Network. “By partnering with WFMZ, we are now able to inspire over 150,000 families with these stories of selflessness and heroism.”

The Valley Preferred Spirit of Courage honors local heroes who have risked their lives to try to save others from burn injury or death, as well as a burn survivor who has gone on to help others in the burn community. The 30-minute broadcast will feature the awardees themselves as they recount acts of heroism that earned them a much-deserved Spirit of Courage award.

Traditionally the event has attracted nearly 1,000 firefighters, EMTs, police officers, and business people from the Lehigh Valley and across the state of Pennsylvania. Proceeds from the awards celebration support Burn Prevention Network’s Camp Susquehanna, other burn survivor support programs, and LVHN’s Regional Burn Center.

Don’t miss this inspiring event; tune in to 69 WFMZ-TV or wfmz.com on November 15 at 7 p.m. as we celebrate the bravery and heroism displayed by these incredible awardees.

To learn more about Spirit of Courage, visit the Burn Prevention Network website.

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About Burn Prevention Network
Burn Prevention Network is a regional 501(c) 3 non-profit organization currently serving 22 counties throughout eastern Pennsylvania and Warren County, New Jersey. The Burn Prevention Network’s mission is to provide burn injury prevention education, materials, and advocacy throughout North America.

About Valley Preferred

Valley Preferred, a clinician-led, preferred provider organization aligned with Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), is dedicated to Achieving Clinical Excellence® through the development and implementation of innovative programs to improve health care delivery and value in the community. Formed by Lehigh Valley Physician Hospital Organization, Inc. (LVPHO), Valley Preferred has a corporate philosophy consistent with the goals of the Quadruple Aim: Better health. Better care. Better cost. Better clinician experience. Collaboration is essential to achieving these goals. Working together, and driven by data insights from Populytics, a population health management and data analytics company, clinicians are able to deliver even more proactive, informed, and targeted care. Valley Preferred also endorses Employer Health Solutions, a partnership of multifaceted health and wellness resources available through LVHN and Populytics. For more information, visit valleypreferred.com and populytics.com.

About Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Regional Burn Center

Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Regional Burn Center is one of only 58 nationwide verified by the American Burn Association and American College of Surgeons. To receive this designation, a burn center must meet rigorous standards regarding personnel qualification, facilities, resources and medical services. The center provides inpatient and outpatient care for adults and children from the point of injury through the rehabilitation process.