THE CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION CELEBRATES OCTOBER FIREFIGHTER APPRECIATION MONTH WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS, PSAs, and EVENTS ACROSS CALIFORNIA

Encourages Californians to Prepare for Fire Season & Natural Disasters with New Public Awareness Campaign

Hosts Annual California Firefighters Memorial in Sacramento, CA, on October 14

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Sept. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Fire Foundation (www.cafirefoundation.org), the California-based non-profit that assists families of fallen firefighters, firefighters, and the communities they protect, has proclaimed October as California Firefighter Appreciation Month (FFAM). In concert with state legislature initiatives, the California Fire Foundation will launch statewide programs and events to celebrate local firefighters, honor the fallen, and prepare Californians for fire season.

To mark Firefighter Appreciation Month, the California Fire Foundation is raising money for key educational, financial, and emotional support programs. The Foundation's initiatives include its SAVE CARD program (Supplying Aid to Victims of Emergency), which provides fire victims $250 cash cards to buy necessities immediately after a fire or natural disaster, its Firefighters on Your Side community preparedness PSA program, and the annual California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony and Wall in Sacramento that honors firefighters who lost their life in the line of duty.

From January to April 2023, the Foundation has already helped over 380,000 Californians impacted by winter storms by distributing 2,350 SAVE CARDS worth over $772,000. Most recently, as a national leader in natural disaster response, the Foundation jumped into action to aid Hawaii firefighters by establishing the Maui Wildfire Relief Fund.

Residents are invited to prepare for wildfires and natural disasters, support with a tax-deductible donation, and honor firefighters in various ways:  

HOW TO SUPPORT?

• The Franciscan Wine Estate as part of E. & J. Gallo Winery, a family-owned leader in CA wines, is proudly donating $10,000 to support California Fire Foundation. California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) also kicked off California Firefighter Appreciation Month early with its PIZZA WITH A PURPOSE fundraiser on September 25.
• Local businesses and residents are invited to fundraise and donate at CAFireFoundation.org.
• Residents are invited to thank their local firefighters and share their support on social media using hashtags #thankafirefighter #ffappreciationmonth #cafirefoundation in support!

HOW TO PREPARE?

• The Foundation has launched Firefighters on Your Side (https://firefightersonyourside.org/) with multilingual tools and resources to view online and print, including:
  • VIDEO PSA: What is a 5 Minute Plan? (Link)
  • VIDEO PSA: Pre-Pack Essentials (Link)
  • Print your Preparedness Checklist  (Link)
  • How to Prevent & Escape Housefires (Link)

HOW TO HONOR?
To honor fallen officers during Firefighters Appreciation Month, the annual California Firefighters Memorial Ceremony will be held in Sacramento, CA, on Saturday, October 14. The Memorial ceremony will feature a uniformed firefighter procession, tributes, and presentation of the U.S. flag to the families of those whose names are being added to the Memorial Wall. The Memorial Wall currently features over 1,500 names of those who have lost their lives in the line of duty in California since 1850.

For additional information, please visit CAFireFoundation.org.

Media Contact:
DeeDee Garcia
[email protected]

SOURCE California Fire Foundation