J-FIRE OF WNY, INC.

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J-FIRE IS INDEPENDENT AND NOT AN ERIE COUNTY AGENCY

J-FIRE is a not-for-profit organization that survives on grants and donations. At one time, J-FIRE's biggest financial supporter was the County of Erie. The County provided the coordinator's salary, office space and all utilities and office supplies. That support was eliminated in July of 2003. We ended up on the cutting board even before the Red Budget. But, in the year 2003, J-FIRE was able to secure a FEMA grant, which allowed J-FIRE to move into their office and hire a staff to help with the demands of the growing program. With the continuing help of the fire departments and companies that support J-FIRE with their sustaining memberships, J-FIRE was able to move forward and conduct more interventions and attend more community programs, with and without the Kid's Fire Safety House.The grant ran out at the end of 2005, but J-FIRE used their funds and donations wisely and was able to continue their programs with few obstacles. In 2008 J-FIRE has had to say good-by to their beloved Safety House. Without the funding and the full-time staff, it became impossible to schedule and maintain the house and utilize it to the best for the community. The Marilla Fire Company has purchased the house and is making it available to the community for a user’s fee. We thank Marilla for helping J-FIRE by purchasing the Safety House and keeping it in the Western New York area. We are confident that they will take real good care of it and teach as many children and adults as we did. The proceeds helped to continue the intervention program and the preschool program that began three years ago. Although the preschool program still needs funding for staff and additional materials, we are continuing to work on securing additional funds so that the program does not dissolve and keep J-FIRE afloat.Now in J-FIRE is facing one of the worse things that could happen to the program. They are running out of funds. The current FEMA grant (2010-11) runs out in 2011 and we have been denied funding from the County and the past foundations that have received funding requests. The program will lose the central location. The coordinator has already worked on an almost total volunteer basis, working another job to pay her personal bills. FEMA has given us a chance to change that status for one year, but FEMA stated that the program did not state the financial impact that it would have on the community. Well if we had to charge the government for the programs that we are doing for free, it would run over seventy-thousand dollars a year. We don't even take in enough donations to file income tax, which is a minimum of twenty-five thousand. Will this County and State pay for this program in the next upcoming year? Absolutely no! And yet we still pay all of our bills and a very minimal compensation for mileage and expenses for our office workers, when we can. The interventions will continue to be conducted by the dedicated J-FIRE volunteers. Unfortunately the community safety program will not be able to continue unless funding becomes available. The program will have to give up its office and move elsewhere. J-FIRE is going to continue its program as the Juvenile Fire Intervention, Response and Education program of WNY, Inc. that it began in 1992. We will not let down the Melissa Reidel's in WNY. We will be there to help educate the children that fire is a tool for grown-ups, not a toy for kids on a one on one basis for as long as we can and help the fire departments teach the children this valuable lesson with our specially trained interventionists. If you would like to donate to J-FIRE, please send your check or money order to: J-FIRE of WNY, Inc. 2252 William Street, Buffalo, NY 14206. All donations are tax deductible. Anyone wishing to hold a fund raiser for J-FIRE, please contact Michelle @ 716-896-1113 or mblissjfire@aol.com

2010 Updates

We have had close to 50 intervention referrals from agencies, police and Fire department so far. The property damage in the 6 months period by these referred kids is an estimated $188,600.00. That is more than half of the $333,780 property damage reported to us for the entire 2009 year; and this is only the middle of July. We are expecting a lot more with more fires that occurred last weekend. It is such a shame that there is such a disregard for property, whether it be their own or someone else’s.

Our Vision That Every Child Can Wake Up and See A Sunset Every Day

Fire is a tool, not a toy! Teach your children not to play with Matches and Lighters. Matches and Lighters should be put out of reach of children. If your children know where you keep your emergency matches, Move Them! If your children are playing with the knobs on the stove, Remove Them! If your children are taking your lighter from your cigarettes, keep it on you at all times. Remember you are the role model for your child; what you do, your child will do, eventually.

A GREAT TEACHING TOOL WAS SOLD

J-FIRE has had to say good-by to their beloved Safety House. Without the funding and the full-time staff, it became impossible to schedule and maintain the house and utilize it to the best for the community. The Marilla Fire Company has purchased the house and is making it available to the community for a users fee. We thank Marilla for helping J-FIRE by purchasing the Safety House and keeping it in the Western New York area. We are confident that they will take real good care of it and teach as many children and adults as we did.

This now gave J-FIRE some funds to continue the intervention program and the preschool program that they began three years ago. Although the preschool program still needs funding for staff and additional materials, we are continuing to work on securing additional funds so that the program will not dissolve and will remain at it's current location on William Street.