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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Chief Michael E. Figolah, Mount Prospect Fire Department From the January 2008 newsletter...
There has been a change to the IFSA Board of Directors. Chief James Grady of the Frankfort Fire Protection District held the position of Appointed Director until recently when he stepped down from that position. On behalf of the Board we thank Jim for his long-time support and service to the organization. We are fortunate to have had Jim on our Board and wish him and his family the best. I am very pleased to announce a new Board member to fill Chief Grady’s vacancy. Retired Chief Doug Goosetree has accepted the Appointed Director position effective immediately. Chief Goostree has a passion for fire prevention and has been a long-time supporter of the Alliance. We’re very pleased to have yet another Board member that is willing to work hard for the organization and fire/burn prevention. I would also like to thank the other members of the Board, our Executive Director and Jill Friedrichs for their contribution to the organization. All of these people are very busy and always find time to attend meetings, workshops and other events. The Alliance is a very active organization that has enacted many new programs over the last several years. This year will be another example of a very busy year. Take a look at the articles enclosed in this newsletter and you’ll see a number of terrific programs that are always under continual improvement. The 2008 IFSA Board of Directors Vice Presidents
Secretary/Treasurer
Elected Directors
Appointed Director
Sincerely, Mike Figolah View May 2007 Archive
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT Mary Werderitch, IFSA Executive Director From the January 2008 newsletter...
Volunteers are not paid not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless! Our organization relies heavily on its volunteers. It would not be possible to do our programs without their dedication. With this in mind, I’d like to devote some of my article to the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Board of Directors. This group of individuals have given countless hours of their time and energy for the good of our organization and its’ programs. Their passion for our mission is ever present at our board meetings and as they follow through on their committees. Some of them have full time jobs and still find time to dedicate to us. Some of them are retired and devote their lives to our programs. I’d like you to meet our Board of Directors: I could fill an entire newsletter on each one of them but due to space, I’ll be brief!
I recently had a wonderful experience on the phone at 11:30 p.m. the other night. The IFSA phone rings. I wonder who could be calling this late at night. I thought maybe a camper because that would not be that unusual. Much to my surprise it was the mother of a 17 month old baby that had received a scald burn in a bath tub while at day care. 3rd degree burns from the neck down. Needless to say this is in court. She was able to find comfort when she reread our information on the card we distribute with our bath thermometer and decided to call us and let us know how important our prevention message was. She just wanted to let us know how much she appreciated what our organization was doing to educate moms on the dangers of scald burns and preventing those kinds of burns. She is willing to do anything she can to help make a difference in preventing any other child going through what her baby has...the months in the hospital, the pain, the Jobst garments that will have to be worn for a year and the helplessness of a mother. No child should ever have to go through this. No mother should have to watch her child go through what her child did. A sibling that lights a match so he could be burned and be able to visit his brother in the hospital. With our education, maybe this won’t happen again. I spoke with this mother for about an hour. She sincerely understands the need for this prevention. She has offered to write her story and help in any prevention effort she can. We can’t ever put a dollar value on the many situations that we may not realize we have prevented! This is certainly why we do what we do and will continue to do so. Please be sure to read the entire newsletter. We have a lot of new information to share with you! Mary Werderitch View May 2007 Archive
TREASURER'S REPORT Jill Friedrichs-Pope, IFSA Treasurer From the January 2006 newsletter...
Back in May I had the privilege of attending the American Burn Association (ABA) conference in Chicago. What an awesome experience. The majority of seminars we attended dealt with prevention. As I listened to the various speakers I would compare the programs we offered and thought that what we are doing is right on target. I concluded that the major difference between others and our organization is that everything we do is statewide. Most others I talked to seem to deal with prevention in a community setting. BOY, DO I LOVE CAMPING!! I hope everyone had as good of a time as I did. The first night as I lay in bed I had a great laugh, my bunkies thought I was losing it. I then told them how much I loved camp, the air conditioning, the hard wood floors and the ceramic tile. The best part of camp was going home. Not because I could shower or brush my teeth in Lake Michigan water; that I didn’t need to brush my teeth out of a cup. No it was because I got to ride one of the Chicago buses with the campers. It was the best experience getting to meet all the parents I talk to throughout the year. Faces were finally put together with voices. There were no formal handshakes when we met just a lot of camp hugs. The next big event that happened for me was the World Burn Congress. This year WBC took place in Baltimore. This is the second year that Dottie, Kathy, Mary and I got to accompany the grant recipients from Loyola University Medical Center. In this newsletter you will get to read articles from Jamie, Ray and Tony, the three young men the IFSA sponsored. Even though there are some children that attend the conference, the majority of the survivors are adults. This year, like last year, we got a chance to hear about survival from an adult perspective. We had the opportunity to spend time talking (and listening) to survivors, spouses and family members about their experiences. I know that what I came away with will help me help families of the campers.
And finally, the Fire Prevention Week Luncheon held October 6th at White Eagle. As always, a lot of time goes into the planning of the luncheon. I hope everyone that attended enjoyed themselves and came away more prepared for the week that was ahead of them. For all those marking their calendars for next year, the luncheon will be on October 5, 2006 at DiNolfo’s Banquets in Mokena. Hope to see you there!
Donations to the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance Burn Camp "I Am Me" and its fire safety and burn prevention programs can be sent to P.O. Box 911, Mount Prospect, IL 60056. Please make checks payable to: Illinois Fire Safety Alliance. Click here to view Volunteer Opportunities. Fundraising programs already in place can viewed below. If you have fundraising news and pictures, please send it to us at mwerder@ifsa.org and we will be happy to include it on the next newsletter.
Fill the Boot For IFSA Burn Camp “I Am Me” And it’s Fire & Burn Prevention Programs The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance hosts an annual “Fill the Boot” day for IFSA Burn Camp “I Am Me” and its prevention programs. The dates are scheduled for the first Friday and Saturday in May. Your department may, of course, choose a date that may be more convenient for you. Please contact our office and let us know if you plan to participate in “Fill the Boot” this year.
Special Events License Plates is a fundraiser we hold on a yearly basis. These plates feature a new design and color scheme every year and can be put on your personal vehicle for 60 days (April through June, coinciding with Burn Camp dates). A legible photocopy of your current Illinois license plate registration is required for the vehicle on which the plates will be displayed. Click here for an application.
A living Memorial to those that lost their lives in the Our Lady of Angels Fire. The "Angels of Fire" compact disc project is the result of Michael Mason's desire to create a living memorial to both the victims and survivors of the Our Lady of the Angels School fire and to the firefighters who responded to that devastating blaze. The school fire on December 1, 1958 claimed the lives of 92 students and 3 teachers and forever changed a community. Michael Mason is a Downers Grove, Illinois, Firefighter/Medic and a jazz flautist. He performs his original compositions with noted musicians from around the world on this CD. The project was funded by a grant from the IFSA. All proceeds from donations to the "Angels of Fire" project will be used for ongoing support of all IFSA-sponsored programs, including the Burn Camp for children. CDs can be ordered online at: www.mtiweb.com/CD/
The Illinois Fire Safety Alliance appreciates your interest in sponsoring a fundraising event on our behalf, and requests that you read and comply with the following guidelines:
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