FASCV Joins Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Relay

   

  
“What was all that noise?” ...that’s what many San Francisco Bay Area residents must have been saying as a caravan of emergency vehicles made their way up the Peninsula on Thursday, October 4th.
 
With “Code 3” lights and sirens blaring, a fleet of approximately 20 antique, classic and in-service emergency response vehicles joined the 23rd Annual Peninsula Firefighters Burn Relay. The event benefited the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation (AARBF). The non-profit organization is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of burn survivors and promoting burn prevention education in the community.

Fire Support Units 1 and 2 are lined up next to a
Moffet Field Fire Battalion Chief vehicle.

Along the relay route, the Burn Foundation collected donations raised by local fire and public safety agencies. Money was raised through personal donations and annual community events, including golf tournaments, pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners. Stops were made at 16 fire stations in Santa Clara, San Mateo and San Francisco Counties.

Starting at 8:30 A.M., members of fire departments and emergency response agencies worked their way up the Peninsula. The convoy started at the Moffett Field Fire Department and traveled nearly 40 miles north, ending at the San Francisco Fire Department Training Center at the corner of 19th and Folsom. Fire Associates was asked by event organizers to join this year’s relay to provide cold water and Gatorade to the events’ participants. In response to this request, Fire Support Units 1 and 2 joined in the activities.

During the day, a light breakfast was served at the Moffett Field Fire Department, mid-morning refreshments were provided at the Menlo Park Fire Department, lunch was served at Foster City Fire Station No. 28, an ice cream social was held at Colma Fire Station No. 85, and dinner was provided by the San Francisco Black Firefighters Organization.

Burn Relay Emergency Vehicles proceed up The El Camino.

By the end of the relay, $66,125 was raised to support the many programs of the Southern California-based organization. Programs benefiting from these funds include the Foundation’s annual week-long residential camp for child burn survivors, Champ Camp.

Alisa Ann Ruch was a young Southern California girl who was burned over 97% of her body and lived only 5 weeks in the hospital. Following her death in 1971, her mother joined with firefighters and medical professionals to create a foundation to prevent burn injuries by teaching "Stop, Drop and Roll." Since the Foundation started, other burn-related services have been added not only in Southern California, but Northern and Central California as well.

For more information on the organization, please visit http://aarbf.org.

• John Whitaker's photos of the event can be viewed at:  2012 Burn Foundation Relay