January 15, 2010

MEDIA AND COMMUNITY ADVISORY

Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad's

69th Annual Door-to-Door Fund Drive Concluding

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad's 69th annual door-to-door fundraising campaign is now concluding. The Rescue Squad’s Annual Fund Drive is critical to the existence of the Rescue Squad. Unlike most other fire/rescue departments, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad does not receive an appropriated budget from any government. Your donations fund the majority of our $2 million annual operating budget.   If we missed you this past fall, you should have received a booklet at your home, along with a postage-paid envelope for mailing a contribution (Most residents of apartments and condominiums received a mailing in September.) 

For more information on our Annual Fund Drive, please read our August 2009 Media and Community Advisory: 

Residents of the Rescue Squad’s service area, including Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Friendship Heights, Glen Echo, Upper Northwest Washington, and parts of Cabin John, Potomac, North Bethesda, Rockville, and Kensington, can expect uniformed volunteers and emergency vehicles in their neighborhoods between 5:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, and from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The Rescue Squad does not use paid solicitors to go door-to-door or employ telemarketers for our Annual Fund Drive. All personnel are always in full uniform and carry Rescue Squad identification. Residents are encouraged to ask for identification. Residents may obtain additional verification of a Rescue Squad member’s identity by calling the Rescue Squad dispatcher at 301-652-0077.

Rescue Squad chosen by Catalogue for Philanthropy as one of the finest small charities in the region.

The Rescue Squad is proud to announce that it has been selected by the Catalogue for Philanthropy as one of the finest smaller nonprofits that Greater Washington has to offer. “Charities were selected for excellence, innovation, cost-effectiveness, and financial transparency–and for what they can teach us about the extraordinary ways that philanthropy works. . . . These are certainly among the best small charities in the Washington, D.C. region,” stated Barbara Harman, Executive Director of the Harman Family Foundation and President of the Catalogue for Philanthropy: Greater Washington. Please visit www.cfp-dc.org for further information.

Contributions are tax-deductible; Rescue Squad participates in the Combined Federal Campaign.

A booklet containing a postage-paid envelope will be left for residents who are not home and will be mailed to residents of apartments and condominiums. The Rescue Squad is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to the Rescue Squad are tax-deductible as permitted by law. The B-CC Rescue Squad also participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC # 19223).

About the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad:

The generous contributions from the public, grants from community organizations, and the efforts of 150 professionally trained volunteers result in an estimated savings to taxpayers of $3.6 million per year. Founded in 1937 as the Chevy Chase First Aid Corps, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad is a valuable part of the community, providing security and peace of mind to residents and businesses, as well as visitors. The training, services, and equipment at the B-CC Rescue Squad are among the best in the United States, regardless of whether paid staff or volunteers are on duty. Your donations fund our response to fire, rescue, and emergency medical incidents. In 2008, Rescue Squad ambulances, medic units and rescue squads responded to more than 10,000 emergencies, including illnesses, injuries, heart attacks, vehicle collisions, house fires, and many other incidents. In addition, the Rescue Squad provides a variety of non-emergency services to the community.

The Rescue Squad provides all of its services at no charge. Montgomery County residents can obtain Rescue Squad services by calling 911. Residents of Upper Northwest Washington can obtain Rescue Squad services by calling 301-652-1000. The Rescue Squad works in partnership with the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and the D.C. Fire and EMS Department and responds to calls under a coordinated emergency plan.

The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Rescue Squad extends its sincere thanks to community leaders and citizens for their past, present, and future support.

For further information on the operation of our Annual Fund Drive, contact the B-CC Rescue Squad at 301-652-0077 and ask for the Officer in Charge. For more information on ways to donate to the Rescue Squad, please call 301-652-0077 and ask for our Development Office, email us at development@bccrs.org, or visit www.bccrs.org.

The Rescue Squad invites all residents to visit our website, www.bccrs.org, and to visit the Rescue Squad during our free annual “Rescue Day” Open House on Saturday, October 2, 2010, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

To receive more information on the Rescue Squad, visit www.bccrs.org and sign up for our email newsletter.

Community leaders are encouraged to publish this information in community papers, electronic bulletin boards and listservs, and to reproduce and distribute copies of this advisory.

D.C. Charitable Solicitation No. 53004867

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