A very wise person recently pointed out to me that all this blogging and emailing and Twittering about Firewise is all well and good - but until people go into their yards, common areas and neighborhoods and take action, it doesn't mean a darn thing! I couldn't agree more. Firewise concepts are only valuable when they're applied in the real world. That's why Firewise Communities/USA sites are nationally recognized for their actions and ongoing work to create neighborhoods that are safer from wildfire.

We truly value these efforts and we even document how much work is going on in the neighborhoods. Last year alone, Firewise Communities/USA participants invested more than $17 million in their local wildfire safety - some through grants, some through donations, but mostly through "sweat equity" - volunteer time. A volunteer hour is now worth $20.25 according to the Independent Sector folks. To learn more about how to value your Firewise volunteers, check last summer's How To newsletter on page 7.

Labels: Firewise, investment, volunteer