AS THE ANNUAL LABOR DAY “FILL THE BOOT” CRANKS UP around the nation, the Anchorage, Alaska, Mayor and City Manager are telling the FD that this will likely be the last year that they will be able to stand on the city streets to gather donations.

The city council has been granting special exemptions to allow the firefighters to ignore the current statute that prohibits the solicitation of funds on the city’s right of ways.  “The issue is public safety and liability,” City Manager George Vakalis said. “Under the current conditions that we are operating today, with the current ordinances, they will not be able to conduct this activity next year in this manner. That doesn’t mean they can’t do it some other way. But they just can’t do it in the right of way until certain things change.”

The council left open the possibility that they will entertain a change in the ordinance that will allow the firefighters to continue the collection next year.  This year they are being allowed to collect as stated in their exemption.  KTUU-TV has this video report on the development:

SPERIAN FIRE, MANUFACTURERS OF PROTECTIVE GEAR, respiratory apparatus and instrumentation, has a crew that travels the fire/rescue exhibit circuit throughout the U. S. and Canada.

Those of you who visited the FDIC last month may have noticed that their booth was sparsely furnished this year.  Instead of paying for the extensive decoration and equipping of the exhibit space, they donated the money that they would have spent to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and the Canadian Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

From their press release:

“Even with the economy down, we can’t desert the people who protect us all,” said Bill Sokol, Vice President Marketing for Sperian Fire. “At Sperian we decided to take the money we normally spend to ship, assemble, dismantle and return our large FDIC exhibit booth – roughly $100,000 US – and use it for a donation to help the families of fallen heroes.”

 In a unique twist, the donation will not be made in Sperian Fire’s name, but rather in the names of any US and Canadian firefighters who take a moment to sign the donation registry at www.sperianfire.com/.  Registrants have an opportunity to offer a few words of encouragement or make their donations in memory of individual fallen comrades.

 Beginning at the FDIC show on April 23 and continuing through June 30, Sperian Fire will be collecting names from participating members of the firefighting community to present with the final donation checks to the two organizations. The donor names will not be used for any sales purpose.

 “We felt this was a great opportunity to help firefighters get personally involved in showing their support for this important cause without actually asking them for a donation,” Sokol said.  “Instead, we’re putting up the money to give in their names.”

In other words, they’re putting up the cash, all you need to do to support the program is CLICK HERE and fill out the brief form.

AND OCTOBER IS A GREAT MONTH TO BE IN TEXAS

Last year’s cook-off had 80 chili teams and raised $123,656.84 for the WPI Firefighters’ Fund.  CLICK HERE for more information.

THE UNITED PHOENIX FIREFIGHTERS PUBLIC CHARITY held its 2nd annual Firefighters Chili Challenge yesterday (Saturday) with 25 teams of firefighters from around Arizona competing for the chili championship.

The event was focused on the chili, of course.  But there was also plenty of live music and ancillary events to entertain the whole family.

One of the most-coveted prizes is the award for Best Booth Design which brings out an additional bit of pride for the contestants.

While we’re waiting for the results from yesterday’s hotly-contested challenge, take a look at this lead-up video report from KSAZ-TV:

THERE IS A NEW CHARITABLE FOUNDATION that has been established to assist fire departments and FF’s families that are in need worldwide.

Gear Up Foundation has set out as its mission:

To honor those who perished, served and were affected by the events of September 11th 2001 by promoting international brotherhood and goodwill, providing equipment, education and hope to firefighters and children in need worldwide. Bringing our world closer together as “Ambassadors of Goodwill” exemplified by the passion, bravery and brotherhood of firefighters representing all that is good about those who answer the call.

You can learn more about them by visiting their WEBSITE HERE.

I get some of my university EMS course content by surfing the blogosphere.  A Day In The Life of An Ambulance Driver made the following post:

The House of DeFrance Has A Leaky Roof

If any of you EMS types have never visited the House of DeFrance, you’ve been missing one of the longest running, most useful EMS resources on teh Intarwebz. It’s chock full of EMS stories, news, free widgets and web content, EMS gifts for purchase, and a vast library of EMS student and instructor resources.

And this entire EMS web cornucopia is compiled and administrated by one woman – for free – over a freakin’ dial up internet connection from Hope, Alaska. How she does it is beyond me.

Well, however she does it, her home server and several of her peripherals have, in IT parlance, sh!t the bed. Without a reliable ‘puter, the House has developed the aforementioned leaky roof, along with some cracks in the foundation.

If you’ve ever enjoyed visiting HOD, won’t you take a moment to donate however small the amount?

Valerie was laid off November 2008.  I just sent my PayPal donation. 

Mike “FossilMedic” Ward

RHETT FLEITZ AT VAFireNews wants all of us to be aware of a collaboration between the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) and the World Golf Tour.

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They are running a virtual tournament through October 31 that you can enter and play online.  It looks like you get to choose a world-renowned golf course to video-play a round with the entry fees going to the MDA. 

Click HERE and check out the rules and opportunities.
(IAFF members have a separate login entry HERE.)

THE 6th ANNUAL GREAT GORILLA RUN was held today (Saturday) in London.  The 7 km running event had 750 people dressed in gorilla costumes running for charity.

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Press Association

The yearly fun-run was staged by The Gorilla Organisation, a charity which protects the endangered apes in central African rainforests.  Jillian Miller, the charity director, told The Telegraph: “The event has got better every year and the atmosphere among the runners and spectators is incredible. We hope to raise £200,000.”

And of course, our camera was there:

THE YORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE SERVICE IN ENGLAND has been given an extra lift this week.

A women’s charitable club, the Soroptimist International, has organized a campaign to collect unwanted women’s underwear (no smart remarks, please….FG) to be resold in 3rd-world countries that cannot afford the new stuff.  The proceeds from the sale are being used to give added support to the local air ambulance.

“What You Take Off  Helps Us Take Off” is the campaign slogan for the Bag It Up project.  Campaign organizer Linda Gerraghty said: “This is an ideal time of year to have a good cupboard clear-out and pass on any unused new or good quality used bras for this worthwhile cause to help less fortunate women worldwide.”

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Halifax Courier/Swift photo

One of the local shops has helped fill the cup by donating 114 new bras.  The overall goal is to collect 200,000 bras which will raise £10,000 and pay for more than 30 air missions.

The Halifax Courier has this uplifting story HERE.

WHEN THE STAFFORD COUNTY, VIRGINIA Fire and Rescue members started counting out their collection from the weekend’s “Fill the Boot” campaign, they came across something a little unusual.  Amongst the coins, bills and fake fingernails they found a men’s wedding ring.

They’re now out looking for somebody who’s been sleeping in his car for the last couple of nights.

The Free Lance-Star has the full STORY.

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIREFIGHTERS, the union representing fire and rescue workers in the U. S. and Canada,  announced yesterday that its members raised a record-setting $25.5 million for the MDA.  Appearing on the Muscular Dystrophy Association tele-thon, IAFF President Harold Schaitberger informed Jerry Lewis of the preliminary count and stated that the total exceeded last year’s collection by nearly $2 million.

More on the IAFF WEBSITE.