For Health Care/Safety/Fire Prevention

"What a remarkable story! You have made a real contribution to all the people with disabilities and indeed their friends and caregivers by sharing your observations in this way."
-Mayo Clinic

Understandably so, George Burk has a special place in his heart and mind for health care and safety professionals, first responders, and firefighters. He knows their importance in our lives and their unique challenges.

A horrible plane crash in 1970 left him horribly burned and severely injured. He wasn't expected to live. Lying in a field, burned, broken, scared and praying to God to not let him die in that field all alone. The first two people he saw outside the burning plane were volunteer firefighters. Its first responders like them that helped save his life. George didn't know that a few minutes after the plane crashed a rancher accidentally and miraculously discovered him on fire. The rancher extinguished the fire on his body and went for help. George's rescue and recovery has been called a miracle. The professionalism, perseverance and commitment of his doctors, nurses and staff gave him a second chance to live. The love of his family gave him a "why" to live so he could endure almost any "how." His 35 years experience with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the psychological, spiritual and holistic health strategies he uses daily.

George's story is one of turning a tragedy to a positive, accepting change, thinking and acting like a survivor, not a victim.

He spent 90 days in intensive care. When prevailing medical wisdom indicated otherwise, his two doctors and nurses worked tirelessly to keep him alive. He survived numerous life-threatening issues and had two Near-Death Experiences (NDEs). George crossed the bridge, saw the door and saw the light. He believes we all have guardian angels.

From outstanding high school and college athlete, George's message is one of making change an ally, and overcoming adversity in daily living. He speaks with passion and compassion, humor and dignity about the strength of the human spirit and the innate will to survive. He knows that every human life has value and meaning. George challenges his audiences to think positive and to have a personal plan with a vision, goals and objectives. He opens hearts and minds to look toward the future, not the past, and encourages doctors, nurses, administrators and care givers to identify obstacles and triumph over them. George challenges first responders to follow established procedures and to always wear their equipment properly.

George's first book "The Bridge Never Crossed - A Survivor's Search for Meaning" is a compelling story of optimism, perserverance, courage and faith.

Picture of George at West Point
George Burk's Clients Include:
  • North Dakota Homeland Security Hazardous Materials Conference, Bismarck, North Dakota
  • Virginia Hazardous Materials Conference, Norfolk, Virginia
  • South Central Task Force (Homeland Security) Conference
  • Incident Command Safety Officers Conference, Peoria, AZ
  • International Associaton of Fire Chief's (IAFC), HazMat Conference, Hunter Valley, MD
  • Mayo School of Health Sciences All School Convocation
  • Department of Defense Fire & Emergency Services Training Conference, Dallas, Texas
  • Local Emergency Planning Conference, (LEPC), Corpus Christi, Texas
  • HotZone Safety Conference, Houston, Texas
  • International Airport Rescue & Firefighting (ARFF) Working Group
  • Annual Convention, Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Glendale Arizona, Fire Academy
  • Lenexa (KS) Fire Department
  • Kansas City (MO) VA Hospital Veterans and Staff
  • Florida Veterans Adaptive Golf Project
  • B.C. (Canada) Fire Chief's Association
  • Ontario (Canada) Professional Firefighters
  • Phoenix Fire Academy
  • Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah, Georgia, District's 1st Serious About Safety Conference
  • Army Corps of Engineers, Alaska District's, Annual Celebrate Safety Banquet
  • Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile Alabama District's, Annual Celebrate Safety Conference
Some of George's Popular Keynotes and Training Seminars include:
  • Lifeforce: Overcoming Obstacles

    The sole survivor of 14 passengers in a plane crash, George Burk overcame life threatening burns and multiple internal injuries. Watch the edited Discovery Health Channel video and listen to George's remarkable story of survival, tenacity and endurance. His recovery has been called miraculous, courageous and an example of the human spirit. Was his discovery and rescue an accident, fate or divine intervention? His two Near-Death Experiences. The innate will to survive. Find a "why" to live, you can endure almost any "how." Nothing worse than an amputated spirit. Role family, friends, faith, humor and a healthy life style plays during and after recovery. Transformation from burn victim to survivor and overcomer. Acronym PURPOSE, Life's Lessons (God's Winks).

  • Organizational Self-Management

    Moving outside our comfort zones and take risks. Shoveling while the piles are small. You can't steal second base with your foot on first. The six categories of risk and four types of fear. Managers do things right. Leaders do the right things. The "Omega" leader. Center life on principles, not popularity. Creating a personal vision and mission with BHAGs - Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goals.

  • Quality In Life and Work

    Quality improvement can be applied to business and your personal life. George Burk was critically burned and severely injured, the sole survivor of 14 passengers in a military plane crash. Did several of W. Edward Deming's 14 Points for Quality improvement assist him during his recovery, rehabilitation and transformation from victim to survivor? Can applying several of Deming's points - help you and help you assist others to improve their personal and business processes to achieve success in life and business? Hear George's remarkable story and learn what improvement and quality are all about.

  • Value Centered Leadership

    Seven Characteristics of a Value Centered Leader. Create commitment by articulating a vision. Envision a context for change. Authentic self-expression - who you are and what you do and say. Actions mirror your words. Effective leaders MBWA-O. Do you pull from the front or push from behind? Do you try to 'swim' without getting into the water? Six "do's" and "don'ts" when communicating with employees.

  • Develop An Attitude...A 'Safety' Attitude

    Your attitude equals your altitude. Connecting our personal vision with purpose and goals. Cultivating self-esteem and creating a balanced life. Using faith and a holistic lifestyle to enhance your personal journey. Humor will get you through anything. Includes examples (slides) which reinforce the importance of following proper safety procedures, equipment utilization, and materials handling.

  • It's Good To Be Alive

    PTSD - Acknowledge and understand. Connecting Mind, Body & Spirit. Faith, Hope and Holistic Health. We ARE what we eat. Spirituality. The Meaning of Life - Finding PURPOSE. A Lesson Plan for Living. Three Character Traits. 10 Lifeskills. The internal gyroscope. Forging your own path. Sear fear from your soul. Do you have a "Calling?" Who changed your 'bandages'? Your ATTENTION versus your INTENTION. Going beyond your borders. Humor and healing. Being the best you can be. Aspire to Inspire before your Expire.

  • Quality Customer Service - A Burn Survivor's Practical Experiences

    The three (3) C’s and a P of quality and personal leadership---Competence; Courage, Compassion and Perseverance. Each defined. Learn the specific circumstances in which the “Three C’s” and a P” were used by George’s doctor, nurses and family in the hospital that helped save George’s life. Competence, Courage, Compassion and Perseverance are vital personal core values. Like all core values, they are sequential: personal, then professional. There’s nothing worse than an amputated spirit. Focus on the internals, not the externals.