COSTA MESA : Firefighters Live High to Aid Injured

Joe Cucinotti and Dave Valles say they never dreamed of doing anything as novel as sitting for four days atop a 150-foot-high snorkel platform attached to a fire truck. But when the idea was suggested for the sake of charity, both men volunteered.

The two firefighters began their elevated vigil over the Orange County Fairgrounds on Wednesday and will stay there until Saturday in an effort to raise more than $50,000 for the Orange County Burn Assn.

“When you see the pain and suffering those burn victims must deal with daily, you’ll do anything to to help them out,” said Fountain Valley firefighter Cucinotti.

Valles is a Costa Mesa firefighter.

A board member for the association suggested the idea after traveling to Europe and seeing the same thing done to raise money for homeless people.

“One of our members was very enthused and convinced that the same idea could work in this country,” said Caryl Modrinski, executive director of the association. “At first we weren’t sure how we’d get volunteers, but we had no problem.”

The association, which was formed in 1979, provides assistance to burn survivors and their families, and sponsors research related to burn care. This year, the organization hopes to raise enough money to continue providing various programs, including a summer camp for teen-agers and children who have suffered burns.

Equipped with a television, stereo, electronic golf game and sleeping bags, Cucinotti and Valles will leave their platform basket only for five-minute breaks between now and Saturday.

Firefighters on the ground will take turns standing guard and will also take donations from passers-by.

“The problem I had was cramming all my Christmas shopping in before I got up here,” Valles said. “But who knows? At 3 o’clock in the morning I may wake up and question why I am sleeping this high off the ground.”