The campaign which lasted through October is a project of the Georgia Firefighter Burn Foundation (GFBF).
Hall County Fire Rescue (HCFR) stations sent crews out to stand along Hall County roadways in between work calls, where members held fire boots to collect donations from passersby. All three Fire Rescue shifts dedicated one day to raising funds and had a friendly competition to see which crew could raise the most between each battalion and shift.
“The generosity of our community never ceases to amaze me,” Fire Marshal Chief Michael Vieira said. “Fire departments from across the state participate in this event, and for the last seven years, Hall County has consistently raised the most money in the state. While ten percent of the funds are kept locally to assist with fire safety and burn prevention programs, the rest of the money raised goes to GFBF to aid burn victims in treatment and recovery from their injuries, which are often life-changing for them and their families.”
Georgia Firefighter Burn Foundation has several programs that serve families, communities and individuals impacted by burn trauma and injuries. These programs include Summer Camp Oo-U-La, Burn Survivors Family Weekend, Belli Memorial Endowment Fund, Chesney Grant and Project R.E.A.C.H.