Alisa Ann Ruch Firefighters' Burn Relay

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Dedicated to preventing burn injuries and fires, the California-based nonprofit Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation provides services to those who have been affected by a burn injury.  The foundation was started after Alisa Ann, an 8 year old girl in Southern California, was fatally injured in a backyard barbeque accident. "At the time in 1971, 'Stop, Drop and Roll' wasn't prevalent in the schools, so she ran for her mother and she did not stop," explains Executive Producer of the foundation, Scott Vandrick.

Alisa Ann was burned over 97% of her body and lived only 5 weeks in the hospital. Following her death, 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, they have grown. They provide services in not only Southern California, but Northern and Central California as well. There are many services that the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation provides to burn survivors and their families including:

•    Firefighters In Safety Education: An educational program for grades pre-K through 5 on fire safety education.
•    Hot Liquids Burn Like Fire - Scald Safety: Free, valuable scald prevention information and free scald kit.
•    Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Trainings: Low cost, high quality classes for fire professionals and other community partners to prevent juvenile firesetting and more effectively intervene with families.
•    Fire FRIENDS (Firesetter Regional Intervention Education Network and Delivery System): A comprehensive, multi-agency juvenile firesetter intervention program for juvenile firesetters and their families.
•    Prevention Events: Burn prevention outreach services to schools, hospitals, fire departments and other community agencies, along with booths providing burn prevention education at health and safety fairs and open houses for fire departments.
•    Survivor Events: Enables interaction with peers through social activities, which is an important aspect of recovery.
•    Support Services: Self-help and peer-led support groups for burn survivors and assistance to attend burn survivor workshops.
•    The Getaway: An event held every year on Labor Day Weekend for adult survivors, family and loved ones. Includes informational sessions and activities.
•    Champ Camp: Summer camp for burn survivors ages 5 to 16 who have been treated at California Hospitals for their burn injuries.

"Our firefighters work very hard to prevent injuries, prevent burns," says Darl Osby, Chief Deputy at Los Angeles County Fire Department, "but the unlikelihood that they do occur, we try to provide the support that children have normal lives to the extent that they can." One way volunteers, including many firefighters, help children is through the four burn relays that run in different parts of the state. All of the burn relay proceeds go to Champ Camp, where burn survivors can have fun and be themselves.

2010 marked the 25th anniversary of the camp that is held in Central California at the base of the Yosemite Foothills. According to Scott Vandrick, the foundation sees 150 burn injury kids every year with 80 volunteers supporting them for 8 days during the summer. He claims that for some of the kids, it is the first time that they are able to take of their shirts and swim since their burn injury. "It's really an opportunity for the kids just to be kids," Scott adds.

Especially for Maria Melendrez, a burn survivor who started going to camp at the age of 5. Maria expresses, "Camp is awesome. It's just a different atmosphere especially for us burn survivors. It's like a whole different world. It's amazing. I mean...there's no other way to describe it. It's where a burn survivor can get to be who they really are. We don't have to hide from anyone, we don't have to be ashamed of what they say. It's a wonderful feeling."

The 19th Los Angeles Burn Relay was quite a site to see this year with the numerous apparatus coming down the street. There were 36 apparatus running in two different legs, an ocean and an inland leg. The foundation started out in Santa Monica at 7:00 a.m. with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Santa Monica Fire Department. They then set off for their many stops in which checks were presented for the foundation. Numerous fire departments are supporters, including LA County and LA City Fire Departments. Departments hold fundraisers, spaghetti dinners, pancake breakfasts, car wash's, and raise money throughout the year to give to the Alisa Ann Foundation. After all the money is collected at the event, all the apparatus meet at the grand finale where there is music, food and a prize raffle.

The relay could not have occurred if it were not for one volunteer, Reynold Dong, from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Dong is the Burn Relay coordinator. He is able to get firefighters, highway patrol officers, police officers, and other fire service and public safety personnel to participate. It takes about 75 to 80 volunteers total to run this event. Burn survivor Maria Melendrez is not only one of many volunteers for the relay, but now wants to join a department. "I want to be a firefighter because of the environment and I have learned that it's just a wonderful feeling to see how you can help others out. You can help your community out, you can change the life of many. [Just] like my life has changed, I can change somebody else's life," explains Maria.

How you can help the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation:

•    Donate funds online at http://www.aarbf.org/help/funds.htm or mail funds to:  

      Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation
           
      2501 W Burbank Blvd, Suite 201
           
      Burbank, CA 91505   

•    Volunteer for prevention and safety fairs, camp counseling, or support staff for survivor events.
•    Buy Three Alarm Cellars wines. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these wines is donated to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.
•    Donate your car.
•    Use Good Search as your search engine. 50% of all ad revenue generated from Good Search is donated to the foundation.
•    Purchase The Little Light Shines Bright children's book by long-time AARBF supporter, Juliette Goodrich. A portion of the proceeds will be generously donated to AARBF.
•    Connect the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation with someone in need of their services, such as a friend, family member or colleague.


Author:Barbara Brooks - Video, Renιe Marquart - Text