PIASS' partnership with the upstream petroleum industry is the essence of the Seminar. A volunteer committee with representation from industry organizations coordinates the annual non-profit Seminar. The purpose of the Seminar is to promote, encourage, and communicate safety and health to the upstream petroleum industry - allowing participants to contribute, as well as obtain information, pertinent to the safety and health of their employees, contractors, and the public.

Accomplishments
In fulfilling these objectives the Seminar has, on occasion through good stewardship, realized a profit. In consideration of the mandate, these funds have been channeled back into industry via donations to:

• UPITFOS (Upstream Petroleum Industry Task Force on Safety)
• STARS (Shock Trauma Air Rescue Society)
• PSC (Canadian Petroleum Safety Council)
• Drive to Survive production in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). With proceeds directed to the Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research, specifically the Alberta Occupant Restraint Program.

Volunteer Highlights
The commitment and dedication of our volunteers is the cornerstone of our success, and allows us to remain a volunteer-driven seminar. A sincere thank you is extended to all who have assisted in meeting the challenges of organizing this exciting and ever growing Seminar.

In 2003, the Seminar Organizing Committee began recognizing the volunteer service of individuals who have served a minimum of three continuous years of service on the Organizing Committee. Upon retiring from the Committee, they are granted a lifetime honourary membership.

Recipients to date are:

Mr. Keith Krausert		Ms. Toni Gannon		Mr. Brock Brown		Mr. Murray P. Sunstrum
Mr. D. E. (Dave) Berte		Mr. Cyril Cox		Mr. Ron Elle		Mr. Arnold McKernon
Ms. Agnes Murrin		Mr. Rob Wilman		Mr. Dan Clements		Mrs. Leslie Diegel
						Photo Soon
Mr. Derek Hibbard		Mr. Craig Massey		Ms. Shireen Symonds		Mr. Peter Hickson

Legacy Program Cheque Presentations

Myrna Fyfe, President, University Hospital Foundation. Dr. Edward Tredget, Medical Divisional Director - Burns. Rob Wilman, PIASS Organizing Committee Chair.		Dr. Edward Tredget, Medical Divisional Director - Burns. Rob Wilman, PIASS Organizing Committee Chair. Myrna Fyfe, President, University Hospital Foundation.
Phil Haworth, STARS Pilot and Operations Manager. Dan Clements, PIASS Program Committee Chair. Phil Levson, V.P. of the STARS Foundation. Lee Sagert, STARS Flight Paramedic.		Sandra Young, STARS Fight Nurse. Lee Sagert, STARS Flight Paramedic. Dan Clements, PIASS Program Committee Chair. Phil Levson, V.P. of the STARS Foundation. Phil Haworth, STARS Pilot and Operations Manager.

Firefighters' Burn Treatment Unit, University of Alberta Hospital
The Firefighters' Burn Treatment Unit of the University of Alberta Hospital is a tertiary level facility caring for patients throughout Alberta and portions of Saskatchewan, British Columbia and a large section of the Northwest Territories. Together with the Plastic Surgery Wound Healing Research Group, they represent the premier burn unit within Canada, treating over 170 severely burned patients per year in the only intensive care environment which exists for adults and children within our country.

Plastic Surgery Wound Healing Research Laboratory, University of Alberta
The Plastic Surgery Wound Healing Research Group is involved in basic science and clinical research that focuses on hypertrophic scarring. Hypertrophic scarring is the raised, red and sensitive scars that develop following deep injury to the skin. As many burn patients suffer burns to a large body surface area, the subsequent scarring often affects mobility and movement, especially over joints and fingers, as well as being cosmetically deforming. The quality of their clinical and research activity has been well described in several published manuscripts, both scientific and clinical, from a number of internationally recognized journals.

The next phase of research and development within the Plastic Surgery Wound Healing Research Group will focus on the development of a skin substitute that can be readily available to the increased number of massive burn injuries that are being admitted and treated at the Firefighters' Burn Treatment Unit. This incentive will address the frequent problem that results when the successful resuscitation and critical care management of major burn patients is complicated by an inability to close wounds because of insufficient uninjured skin to serve as skin graft donor sites. Although there are skin substitutes available, no uniformly successful, one-stage approach that allows immediate wound closure exists. The next phase of research and development within the Plastic Surgery Wound Healing Research Group will focus on the development of a skin substitute that can be readily available to the increased number of massive burn injuries that are being admitted and treated at the Firefighters' Burn Treatment Unit.