Monthly Safety Tips

Alex, an area third grade student, is alive and healthy today because of the programs of the Burn Prevention Foundation. Alex and his classmates had a fun time when the Fire Safety House visited their school. The class learned how the family should plan and practice an escape route in case of a home fire, and how to stay low, below the smoke to exit the house. That evening, Alex told his parents about his exciting learning experience, and encouraged them to practice an escape plan. Thankfully, Alex and this family did practice, because three weeks later they all escaped a house fire at two in the morning.

The Burn Prevention Foundation program that taught Alex how to stay safe, may not be available to other area students. Because of an unprecedented shortfall of funding in 2002, our Foundation has been forced to reduce its services to the public for the first time in its history. 2003 will be at pivotal year for our Foundation. We cannot withstand another year of lower than expected income and continue to offer the services that the community and our partners in the fire services and education expect of us.

For years the Burn Prevention Foundation has reached out, annually, to those at greatest risk to burn injury and delivered to them lifesaving prevention-based programming. Each year we reached an ever growing number of beneficiaries. Now, that ability to reach out and safeguard our children, our older citizens and other special needs groups is in serious jeopardy.

We have been responsive to current economic conditions by cutting our budgeted expenses in every way we are able. Now we call on you, our beneficiaries and benefactors, to financially support the work we do!

Each year we receive testimonials like Alex's, relating how our Fire Safety House Program, and Stop, Drop, Roll, Cool & Call classroom education program have directly resulted in saving the lives of family members who experienced a tragic fire. Undoubtedly, numerous other burn injuries, and even deaths, are avoided altogether due - in part - to our education interventions.

Like Alex, every child is a potential burn victim. It is our goal to provide burn prevention education to every child in our target area!

Please make a pledge or write a check today to support the children's fire & burn safety programs of the Burn Prevention Foundation. Without your support we may not be helping Alex's schoolmates next year.

Sincerely,

B. Daniel Dillard
Executive Director

P.S. Please visit our website, "www.burnprevention.org" to find more information about our programs and services and to download your free monthly burn safety FACT Sheet. Click here to view a donation form that you may print out and mail in. Thank You.

Note: The incident described above is based on a true story. The name and several minor facts have been changed to protect the anonymity of the family.