In recognition of their many years of unwavering support and help to the Sun Lakes Fire Department, a large group of firefighters and medics “responded” to “aid” their friends in the Sun Lakes Women’s Association as they prepared for their annual Bazaar. The SLFD members who have appreciated everything the Women’s Association has done for them in the past sent a large group to unload storage rooms and trucks full of donated heavy items and furniture that were sold at the Bazaar.

Sun Lakes Fire Department Battalion Chief Tim Kelly has been friends with his pal Tom for over 40 years since their school days. When Tom told Chief Kelly recently about Anna, a blind Navajo woman for whom he is a caregiver who lost her guide dog to old age, Kelly, a dog lover himself, asked his union through their SLERF (Sun Lakes Emergency Relief Fund) fund to make a contribution toward the training and pick up of a new seeing eye dog from the New Jersey based Seeing Eye Dog Foundation. Through the combined efforts of the Navajo Nation tribal government and the SLFD Union Local 3560, Anna was able to fly to New Jersey to pick up her new dog Flossie.

Sun Lakes Fire Captain Craig Dimerling gave a presentation to the Sun Lakes fire board of his recent deployment as part of the Sun Lakes Wildfire Team at the California Silverado fire and the much larger King fire. Dimerling, who is a certified Wildland, firefighter, was deployed over two weeks as part of an Arizona multi-agency wildfire task force. Dimerling was partnered with Rio Verde firefighters and apparatus. (Photo by Brian Curry)

The Sun Lakes Fire Department was part of a multi-agency drill at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. The drill included a “fire” in the cockpit area of a jet fuselage that had broken away. A Southwest Airlines jet was then utilized for the rescue of 94 “victims” who were triaged on the airport tarmac by units from various East and West Valley departments including a crew from Sun Lakes. SLFD’s Community Assistance Program volunteers were advised to respond to the nearby Marriott Hotel where they assisted the “family” and “friends” of the simulated crash “victims”. (Photos by Brian Curry)