Fire Prevention Week - A Firsthand Account

This week is Fire Prevention Week and while we have written about various events and ways to be prepared, I'd like to share with you my experience from my first, official Team Firestopper event.

This past Saturday, I met with Red Cross staff and many volunteers in Fresno to canvass a neighborhood, knocking on the door to each and every house, providing free information on fire safety and prevention. Many residents were excited to learn about the opportunities to make their home safer and they expressed interest in the fire safety seminar that we will host on October 19th in Fresno. I enjoyed engaging with our youth volunteers and I believe they learned beneficial skills along the way, such as the notion of community service and positively interacting with demographics they might otherwise not encounter. Additionally, witnessing multiple organizations work together for a unified goal made the experience that much more humbling.

Above all other aspects to this event, the most satisfying part is knowing that maybe, just maybe, I helped save a family from being displaced. It's a very important reminder to never lose sight of that purpose. After all, that is why we do what we do.

For more information about Team Firestopper, be sure to visit this website: http://www.redcross.org/ca/fresno/be-prepared/team-firestopper

Amitai "Tai" S. Zuckerman
Preparedness Coordinator
American Red Cross – Tulare and Kings Counties
AmeriCorps NPRC Member 2013-2014
Community Preparedness and Resilience Services
amitai.zuckerman@redcross.org