Search Results

Contact us with questions, support, donations, or feedback about the DC Fire & EMS Foundation. The Foundation's Address: 122 Kentucky Ave, SE Washington, DC 20003 CONTACT US Name Email Subject Message Submit Thanks for submitting! Join our mailing list Email* Subscribe I want to subscribe to your mailing list.

DC Fire & EMS Foundation supports the Department and its heroic members with resources for training, employee wellness and recognition initiatives, and state of the art equipment and facilities. How Your Investment Helps The DC Fire & EMS Foundation raises funds to support first responder wellness and recognition, training and leadership development, innovation, facilities and equipment. It also educates the community about the Department's life-saving mission. 93% of the Department's budget funds operations, leaving only 1% of the non-personnel budget for training and less than 2% for non-capital equipment and facilities maintenance. The Foundation supplements the Department's needs that are not included in its municipal budget. First Responder Wellness and Recognition Firefighters and EMS personnel are at increased risk for cardiac conditions, infectious disease, cancer, mental illness, and substance abuse. The daily and cumulative stress and sacrifice of their jobs takes its toll. The DC Fire & EMS Foundation supports the safety and well being of DC Fire & EMS employees and their families through an emergency fund for those in health crises. It supports the Department's peer support team, provides wellness programming, and sponsors the Department's Annual Awards Ceremony and Dinner. Training & Leadership Development Strong leadership has been key to the Department’s recent progress. Through its work with the Department’s Women’s Advisory Council (WAC), the Foundation co-sponsored the Heroes Haven wellness and leadership event for female firefighters, as well as the annual Camp Spark!, a two-day summer camp for girls aged 12 to 17 years old who are interested in becoming firefighters and EMS providers. In 2025, the Foundation funded an executive coach to work with the Fire Chief and his executive leadership team to facilitate teamwork, individual growth, and a solid leadership bench for the future of the agency. Innovation The Foundation funds research to further its vision to empower the Department to continue to be a national leader in each of its disciplines. We have funded EMS internships in the Office of the Medical Director for two summers. In 2025, in partnership with Children's National Hospital and the Doris Duke Foundation, the interns conducted research on racial equity in the treatment of pain, STEMI (heart attack) care and coordination with hospitals, buprenorphine induction for opioid overdose patients, and mental health treatment. Community Education Every spring, the Foundation’s Executive Director, Amy Mauro, testifies about the Department’s proposed budget. Underfunding of the Department in the past risked the public’s and firefighters’ safety, and we advocate to ensure we never return to those days. The Foundation also works on projects that educate the community on the Department's life-saving mission, its history, and its members' sacrifice, Examples of this work include the Foundation's grant-funded website https://www.dcfireem shistory.org/ The Memorial Helmet Project, and The 100th Anniversary of the Last Run of the Horses Equipment & Facilities Most DC Fire & EMS personnel work 24 hour shifts out of fire houses that serve as their workplace and home. Their facility needs are unique compared to other DC agencies. The Department's Training Academy campus is outdated for the Department's current operations and is in need of significant modernization and repair. The DC Fire & EMS Foundation advocates for providing personnel with state of the art equipment and facilities so that they can provide the best service commensurate with the high priority Departmental mission of saving lives.

< Back Kate Fogle Archivist Kate previously served as an Associate Curator of Photography at the Library of Congress, where she curated photographic materials, made recommendations for historical and contemporary acquisitions, and wrote for the Library's Picture This blog. She has had fellowships or internships at the National Women’s History Museum, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, and several museums and archives in New York. Kate has a Master of Arts in Film and Photography Preservation & Collections Management from Toronto Metropolitan University in Ontario, Canada. She lives in the DC area with her young daughter and her husband, who is an active-duty Coast Guard Officer.

< Back Carrie Kohns Board Member Carrie’s career includes notable roles serving prominent political figures. Most recently, Carrie served as Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington, D.C., where she played a key role in shaping the mayor's messaging and media strategy. For seven years, she was the Chief of Staff to Congresswoman Karen Bass, now Mayor of Los Angeles, where she managed communications, policy and strategic initiatives to steer Bass’ agenda on the national stage. Prior to this, Carrie served as Chief of Staff and Communications Director for Mayor Adrian Fenty in Washington, D.C. Her leadership in these high-pressure environments allowed her to shape major public policy and communications strategies. Previously, Carrie served as the Washington Director and Communications Director for Rep. Loretta Sanchez, running her Capitol Hill operation, handling media relations and legislative initiatives. Carrie grew up in Washington, DC and lives in Ward 4 with her husband, a Metropolitan Police Department Officer, and her son.

Photo by Matt Ackland, Fox5 A National Leader in Emergency Medical Services DC Fire & EMS is the 3rd largest health care provider in DC. Their employees respond to 400 to 500 medical calls for service per day. These calls range from cardiac arrests, strokes, heart attacks, and traumatic injuries to cold viruses, trips and falls, and mental health emergencies. Prepared for All Hazards All DC Fire & EMS first responders are medically trained as nationally registered Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) or paramedics. That’s why you often see fire trucks responding to medical calls. Our paramedics administer life saving medications and other interventions, including intubation and needle decompression. 21 of 33 engine companies are paramedic engine companies, which means that if you are having a life-threatening emergency, you can have a paramedic and team of EMTs at your door in 4 to 6 minutes who will start treatment while the ambulance is on the way. Photo by Eliot Goodman @DCFIREBYE Our Innovations DC Fire & EMS is national leader in diverting non-emergency injuries and illnesses from EMS and hospital systems to primary care with its 2018 launch of the Right Care, Right Now Nurse Triage Line . In 2023, the Department partnered with the Department of Behavioral Health to open the DC Stabilization Center to better care for patients with substance abuse disorder. In 2024, Washington, DC became the largest city to give blood transfusions in the field to trauma and other patients in danger of bleeding to death, helping to drive the city's homicide rate down. DC Fire & EMS is on the front lines of the nation’s health care crisis – and they are part of the solution. Hands on Hearts The Department's Hands on Hearts program has trained over 100,000 people in hands only CPR. An increase in bystander CPR has contributed to the District of Columbia's improved cardiac arrest survival rate since 2015.

Cazo's K-9s Cazo was one of the Department's first K-9s and received a bronze bar and gold & silver medals for his service. The Department has dogs for employee peer support (Avery, Brew, Levi, Luna, Sonny), search and rescue (Kimber, Leni, Margo and Seamus), and fire investigations (Blondie, Bandel). Dozen and Roo are retired. The DC Fire & EMS Foundation supports the unbudgeted needs of these four legged members of the Department. Luna Avery Levi Cazo Brew Kimber Cazo, Roo, Dozen Blondie Sonny Leni Margo Seamus Roo and Bandel

Last Run of the Horses 100th Anniversary BACKGROUND: One hundred years ago, on June 15, 1925, the DC Fire Department held a ceremonial Last Run of the Horses. The purpose of the event was to commemorate the service of the great fire horses, who were no longer needed due to the advent of motorized fire apparatus. EVENT DETAILS: On June 15, 2025 at 1 p.m. , the DC Fire and EMS Department , in partnership with the Friendship Fire Association and the DC Fire & EMS Foundation, re-enacted the historic ceremonial Last Run of the Horses, using a cosmetically preserved 1905 American LaFrance horse-drawn steam fire engine. ROUTE: The horse-drawn engine ran from the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center at 635 North Carolina Ave, SE, to Lincoln Park, where we gathered for a small community reception immediately following the procession. WHAT WAS SPECIAL: Hundreds of neighbors, active and retired firefighters and their families, and other supporters lined the streets and gathered at Lincoln Park to observe the procession. It was a joyful day on Capitol Hill! This recap video includes historic film footage of the ceremonial Last Run of the DCFD Horses on June 15, 1925. Reproduced with permission from the UCLA Film and Television Archives. Learn more here. Hundreds gather in DC to commemorate the ceremonial ‘Last Run of the Horses’ Grace Newton, WTOP | grace.newton@wtop.com June 15, 2025, 7:56 PM Hundreds gathered along one D.C. avenue Sunday to commemorate the last time the city’s Fire Department used horse drawn carriages to respond to emergencies ... Sunday’s event, organized by the DC Fire and EMS Foundation along with the Friendship Fire Association , marked the 100th anniversary of the event by holding a reenactment. “They’re (department members) very proud of the long history of the agency,” said Amy Mauro, executive director of DC Fire and EMS Foundation. “How far it’s come over the last 150 years of being in existence ...Today is a really joyful day on Capitol Hill,” Mauro said. “There were a lot of stories going back and forth, you know, from the retired guys, and talking about how D.C. has changed, how it doesn’t look the same, and just reminiscing about their time on the job,” Mazzara said. “So it’s a lot of fun.” Thank you to our sponsors!

< Back Milton Douglas Board Member Milton is a native Washingtonian and a graduate of Frank W. Ballou Senior High School in Washington, D.C. Upon graduation, he went on to pursue classes in the field of Fire Science at the University of the District of Columbia. He was appointed to D.C. Fire & EMS January 20, 1987, as a Fire Fighter, thus was the start of a dream come true of a career in the field of fire service. During his tenure, he consistently demonstrated a commendable level of commitment to his professional growth and career advancement within the Department. On March 19, 1995, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant; followed by the rank of Lieutenant, January 17, 1996 and subsequently, the rank of Captain, April 4, 2004. In 2007, he embarked on a career shift that would ultimately groom him for the level of senior management with the promotion to the rank of Battalion Fire Chief, February 4, 2007. He was assigned to the Office of Internal Affairs and tasked with creating the office pursuant to the “Rosenbaum Taskforce on Emergency Medical Services Report and Recommendations of 2007.” He worked alongside the Fire Chief and his senior staff to ensure discipline was fair and equitable, and made certain members received fair and unbiased investigations, as well as, made sure penalties for misconduct were swift, fair and appropriate. April 27, 2008, he was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief of the Office of Internal Affairs, a position he served in until he was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief of Technical Services.

< Back John Sollers Board Member John has extensive experience coordinating with both local and federal agencies and is a certified instructor in hazardous materials, incident management, and National Fire Protection Administration best practices. He is a graduate of the Executive Leaders Program: Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security and the University of Maryland.

Corporate Matching Gifts Double your impact. Did you know that thousands of companies match donations by employees to our organization? Search our database below to see if your company does. See if your employer will match your donation! How to Get Your Gift Matched by Your Employer Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Use our search tool above to see if you're eligible: Search our database to see if your employer matches gifts. If they do, you'll learn everything you need to about the program! Submit your match: When you use our database, you'll receive links for requesting your match. That's it! Once you submit your match, your gift - and your impact - will be doubled.

The story of the DC Fire & EMS Department is the story of how financial and political investment saves lives. DC's cardiac arrest survival rate is now one of the highest in the nation . During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, DC was the only major city that did not leave fire and EMS units unstaffed. It has not always been this way. In 2015, the Department routinely ran out of ambulances, its appar atus broke down, its members received little training, and the District's cardiac arrest save rate was half the national average. On January 6, 2021 , the Department mobilized over 200 first responders and sufficient reserve apparatus to rescue patients and assist law enforcement with protecting democracy at the U.S. Capitol. View DC Fire & EMS Jan 6 Documentary Here Trailer Protect our progress. We cannot take for granted how far we have come. And there is more work to be done to save more lives, and to keep our first responders safe and healthy. During these uncertain economic times, we must be diligent in protecting our progress and keeping it going. Seal the deal. First responders “represent an ideal. An assurance by society, backed by money, that human lives are sacred and will be saved anywhere and everywhere they’re in danger. Society has often shrugged its burden and reneged on the deal…But it’s always been there.” -- Kevin Hazzard , American Sirens