Seeing the Full Circle
A firefighter’s perspective from Phoenix World Burn Congress
Emily Roehling arrived at the Phoenix Society’s World Burn Congress knowing it would be different — and left realizing just how much it would change her perspective.
Earlier this year, she attended the American Burn Association conference, which focuses largely on the medical side of burn care. Phoenix World Burn Congress (PWBC) was something else entirely. “I had high expectations,” she said. “And honestly, they were exceeded.”
As a D.C. firefighter and a member of the D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation community, Emily often works behind the scenes. What she doesn’t often get to do is meet the people whose lives continue long after the fire is out. PWBC changed that.
One morning, while grabbing coffee, Emily struck up a conversation with a burn survivor who had traveled with the D.C. group. In just a few moments, he shared his story — a devastating car accident that took the lives of his wife and children. And yet, what stayed with Emily wasn’t the tragedy alone. It was his openness. His warmth. His joy in simply being there.
“He went through something that completely altered his life,” Emily reflected. “And there he was — happy to be alive, happy to connect, happy to share his story with a stranger.”
That moment, and many others like it, reshaped how Emily thinks about her work back home. Fires may be the call firefighters run toward, but for survivors, they mark the beginning of a lifelong journey.
“It really opened up the humanity side of the fire. This is someone’s new normal.”
Back at the station, Emily found herself sharing those stories with her crew — many of whom had never heard of PWBC before. Seeing the impact firsthand reaffirmed something she already believed: the work matters. But witnessing how deeply it matters to survivors made it real in a new way.
The sessions Emily attended also left a lasting impression. Hearing firefighters talk about their own burn injuries — not just the physical recovery, but the emotional toll and strain on families — expanded her understanding of how far-reaching a burn injury truly is. “You think about the rehab,” she said, “but you don’t always think about the relationships.”
Emily (left) and other PWBC attendees from DC FF Burn Foundation.
PWBC also sparked ideas for the future. Emily hopes to help expand fire safety outreach in the community — especially in schools — so families better understand the realities of fire and how to prepare for them. Education, she believes, is a powerful form of prevention.
For Emily, being at PWBC also brought something deeply personal: closure. Firefighters rarely get to see what happens after patients are transported to the hospital. At PWBC, she saw survivors thriving — living full lives, building community, and finding hope.
“Being able to see the good that came from our work — when we don’t usually get to see that — was incredibly impactful. It reminds me why I do this.”
Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, more than 60 members of our D.C. burn community were able to attend Phoenix World Burn Congress this year.
For many, it was their first time. For all, it was a reminder that healing doesn’t happen alone — and that community makes all the difference.
