Dramatic Simulation Ignites Community Leaders
Olive Branch firefighters conduct rescue during dramatic
simulation
Olive Branch, Mississippi (pop. 21,000) – Community activist Leigh Harris and the Friends of Olive Branch have wrapped up the “Camera For Life Fund,” raising a total of $36,200 from funding sources including local businesses, organizations, and individuals. The department now has a T3 in each of its four stations.
Leigh and her team were featured in the Bullard inSIGHT training video for the technical demonstration that was done at the campaign kickoff. Leaders used a highly effective dramatic simulation to educate potential donors and media members about the value of thermal imaging in search and rescue. Actors and actresses played the parts of family members trapped inside a burning home, giving the guests a vivid picture of how a real family might feel and react if their children were trapped in a house fire.
Leigh Harris: “In April, we’ll be hosting a thank-you party for the sponsors, which will include a demonstration at the fire department. The sponsors will be able to go into a smoke-filled room to use the thermal imager. It’s so important to thank these people and to remind them what their donation is doing for the community. We’ll be inviting local newspapers to cover the event.”
Funding Tip: Be sure to conduct a technical demonstration to educate potential donors on the realities of firefighting. There are many ways to approach a demonstration, but most important is that you give people the hands-on experience of searching blindly, then having their sight restored with a thermal imager.