AFMA: News and Happenings

An explanation of the safety benefits available to Sun Lakes residents with the use of their lockboxes will be discussed and demonstrated at the Oct. 29 Arizona Fire & Medical Authority meeting in Cottonwood’s San Tan Ballroom.

Brian Curry

The Arizona Fire & Medical Authority (AFMA) hopes that all Sun Lakes residents had a great summer, regardless of where it was spent. Now that everybody is back in town, AFMA would like to tell you about some exciting events coming up.

On Saturday, Oct. 29, AFMA and the South Country Fire & Medical District (SCFMD) (the legislative body that governs both Sun Lakes and the Tonopah area) will be holding a community meeting in the San Tan Ballroom, at the Cottonwood Country Club. All Sun Lakes communities are invited.

Starting at 10 a.m., the meeting will offer an overview of the district, which will include their Ambulance Membership Program, which offers substantial savings for Sun Lakes households that do not have secondary health insurance.

AFMA representatives will also provide a presentation of their new Drone Program, which allows chiefs and officers to have that “eye in the sky” while dealing with unique emergency situations.

Even today, a decade after they were introduced, residents still have questions about their lockboxes. So, there will be a presentation of the Lock Box Program, including how they work, their security features, and how responding engines and ambulances are made aware that your house has one installed. These are not like realtor boxes, but are there to enhance your safety when you can’t come to the door, or even when you might not be at home.

There will also be a discussion on an upcoming vacancy on the SCFMD Governing Board, telling you the duties of a fire board member and how you may apply for the position if interested. Finally, a discussion on enhancing community involvement with AFMA in the Sun Lakes area will be discussed.

Please also join AFMA staff on Saturday, Nov. 12, starting at 9 a.m. for an Open House at Fire Station 232 located at 25020 S. Alma School Road, just north of Riggs Road. A tour of the renovated firehouse is featured, but there will also be demonstrations of the emergency equipment on the engine, as well as the ambulance. A lesson on how to use a fire extinguisher is on tap, with various other safety-related giveaways available.

So, mark these two dates, Oct. 29 and Nov. 12, on your calendars and come visit the firefighters and medics of the Arizona Fire & Medical Authority.