Helping out Emma Zen

Our good friend, Emma Zen Chiapuzio is trying to raise money to purchase oxygen masks for fire departments. The dogs and I wanted to help out, so we are sending her 5 copies of Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog books and 5 audio books. This book has been credited with helping save the lives of 9 people and we are so happy to help support a good cause!

We help out with many causes, including helping Target's Bunker along with Surf Dog Richochet, the Keep Kids Fire Safe Foundation, and supporting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

#1 Sparkles Drive

#1 Sparkles Drive is a 1/12th scale model of an old fashioned two story firehouse, complete with pole. This little firehouse is big on love and craftsmanship.

The firehouse, donated by Suzanne Schwabb of Suzanne’s Dollhouses in O’Fallon, MO and crafted by Susan Heikkila of the Ward Fire Department, will help raise funds for Sparkles’ Pathway, a section of the Walk of Honor® at the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation®. The walkway will honor Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog and her work with children and fire safety, and keep her memory alive in all the hearts that loved and knew her.

Firefighter Heikkila has raised funding for other ventures and is performing her miniature magic again to bring this firehouse to life.

This firehouse will be raffled off soon, so stay tuned!

To learn more about Sparkles’ pathway, visit http://www.sparklesthefiresafetydog.com/sparklesmemorialpathway.html and the National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation, visit http://www.firehero.org.

Stay tuned for in progress/under construction reports.

About Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog: To learn more about Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, click HERE.

About Suzanne: Although not in fire service, Suzanne is a big supporter of firefighters everywhere, and donated the wonderful gift of this firehouse. She has helped with funding a firehouse/fundraising program in several states. Her first venture in AR was is partnership with Firefighter Susan Heikkila, Ward Fire Dept.

About Susan: For those of you that made it to the convention in Hot Springs this year, a firehouse made by Susan was auctioned to help build the Arkansas Fallen Firefighters’ Memorial.

Breaking ground

#1 Sparkles Drive permit

Beautiful furniture by Susan!

The firehouse bay area

Sparkles' Dressing Table

Thank you to Suzanne and Susan for this amazing gift! More pictures to come, so stay tuned!

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog Nominated as Most Heroic Dog of 2010 by USA Today

Sparkles the Fire Safety Dog, rescued from a home with 62 other dogs and who helped save the lives of 7 children and 2 adults from fire with her fire safety efforts, has been nominated for USA Today's Most Heroic Dog of 2010.

Sparkles is honored to share this nomination with four other amazing dogs, including Target, who was an amazing heroic dog.

Five year old Angelica shared this story with me, "Firefighter Dayna~ I was in bed under the 'cobers' and the smoke came. I crawled out of bed and crawled low, just like Sparkles [the Fire Safety Dog] showed me to. I said, 'C'mon daddy, you have to get on the floor and crawl low like Sparkles.'"

By this time, her dad was disoriented because he had been standing in the smoke filled room. Thankfully, he was able to follow Angelica out of the house. The firefighters later shared with me that Angelica's father followed her out of the home and they said that as soon as he reached the door, the firefighters scooped him up and took him to the hospital (where he spent 7 days~ 4 in ICU). Immediately after they carried him away from the front door, the firefighters stated that the home flashed over (a "flashover" is where the home totally becomes engulfed in flames).

You may watch a video of the story of Sparkles' life saving efforts and hear more about this incredible story HERE.

Although Sparkles recently passed away, her passion for helping keep children fire safe will live on. Thank you to USA Today for nominating Sparkles and for helping raise awareness of the importance of fire safety.