CEO Corner October 2024

We have reached the fall season in Arizona and that means we can start to see double digit highs which is a relief.  Be mindful of the sun and stay hydrated as you start to venture out to enjoy the weather as it will start to cool down.

As ABF sees the seasons change it allows us the opportunity to be out in the community with some of our programs as well as chances to bring community members together to hear about our mission.

Starting in October we will start our series of fall smoke alarm walks.  We have walks all over the state where we will work with local Fire Departments and select a neighborhood that has a need, and a team of volunteers will meet up on a Saturday and install smoke alarms that may well save a life in that house.  If you are interested in joining us on a walk, please review our website and find a location near you and join us yourself or bring a group.  We would love to have you.

Another prevention opportunity starting in October is our second year partnering with the Cartwright School District and Phoenix Fire Department to do Milo and Moxie Education to the 1^st and 2^nd Graders for fire safety and burn education.  We are excited about having this commitment and if you would like to be on our team to go into a classroom and educate, we would love to hear from you and show you how rewarding it is seeing a child interact with this activity. Please reach out to learn more.

We are also hosting an evening event at Tohono Chul in Tucson.  It will be on Saturday October 5^th and will be held in the beautiful gardens surrounding the Tohono Chul Garden Bistro.  It is an evening to be spent exploring the gardens, sharing an evening of good food, good company and learning more about the mission of ABF as we expand into Tucson.  Representatives of Tucson Fire Department will be on hand to discuss the importance of prevention and advocacy, and we will have a chance to hear from Dr. Lourdes Castanon, Director of the Burn Program at Banner-University Medical Center and how what they are doing is allowing more burn survivors to stay in Tucson as they are recovering from a burn trauma.

Then for our survivor community and their families we are partnering with Cottonwood Fire Department once again for our 3^rd Annual Cottonwood Social Gathering.  This will be held at Dead Horse Ranch State Park.  We will have activities such as horseback riding, kayaking, bicycling, cornhole, and so much more for our families to participate in during the day.  The highlight of the day will be the BBQ lunch being done by not only Cottonwood Fire but with many volunteers from Fire Departments throughout the region.  This is a great way to see families learning from each other and connecting with other families that have shared experiences that allow them to continue to build relationships in their journey to thriving.

As you can see ABF is providing several opportunities to come out in the coming month and we hope to see you and learn how we can all make an impact for our community.

Stay safe everyone and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you soon.