Flagstaff International Relief Effort F I R E
PO Box 22187
Flagstaff, AZ 86002
http://www.fireprojects.org
Mission and Programs
Mission
FIRE MISSION
Flagstaff International Relief Effort (FIRE) provides resources and support to populations at risk in developing countries impacted by poverty, political instability, and natural disasters. FIRE places aid directly into the hands of people who need it most.
FIRE VISION
FIRE is committed to providing resources and support to individuals who have the greatest need. Our programs emphasize sustainable development to help individuals and the communities in which they live. Below is a brief description of our current and future programs. Please contact us or visit our website at www.fireprojects.org for additional information.
Programs
After a successful
project in 2008, we are expanding our Orthopedic Training Program in Mongolia.
This program will greatly increase our outreach to urban and rural populations.
Mongolia has only one orthopedic trauma hospital to serve nearly 3 million people
spread across a country the size of Alaska. The high incidence of trauma injury
in Mongolia, coupled with the lack of medical professionals proficient in
trauma treatment, creates a situation of unnecessary disability and poverty
among the population.
Together we can
change this. By improving the quality of first contact and advanced orthopedic
trauma treatment in Mongolia, we can prevent an unnecessary drain on this
rapidly developing society. With proper treatment many orthopedic trauma
injuries can heal completely, allowing the injured to return to a normal and
productive life. This program will ultimately reduce disability and associated
poverty in Mongolia due to traumatic orthopedic injuries.
This program consists
of the following three components:
1) Advanced orthopedic treatment training and resource
development at The National Traumatology and Orthopedic Research Center of
Mongolia - NTORCM (Trauma Hospital)
in Ulaan Baatar, the capital city of Mongolia. Training will be conducted for
advanced orthopedic surgical techniques, pre-and post-operative nursing care,
and physical therapy.
2) Development and dissemination of a Non-Operative
Orthopedic Trauma Treatment (NOOTT) training model composed of lectures,
hands-on training and an accompanying manual to improve early treatment
techniques in first contact settings and rural areas.
3) Establishment of a FIRE office and Medical Director
in Ulaan Bataar. This office will provide a sustainable future for FIRE
efforts.
FIRE’s cumulative experience in Mongolia over the last
decade has provided a solid foundation for the development and expansion of the
Orthopedic Training Program. We have the personnel and experience necessary to
bridge the cultural gap between East and West and facilitate the training of
Mongolian medical professionals. Furthermore, during past FIRE medical missions
we have identified key material and educational resource needs in Mongolia’s
developing health care system. Many of these needs, such as the challenges of
orthopedic trauma treatment in Mongolia, are surmountable. These steps will
improve accessibility and quality of orthopedic trauma treatment in urban and
rural settings throughout Mongolia, thereby helping the orthopedically injured
to receive adequate care.
Program / Activities (NTEE Code)
Services to Promote the Independence of Specific Populations
Citizen Participation
Management & Technical Assistance
Results
Accomplishments for Fiscal Year Ending 12/31/2007
- Over the last decade FIRE medical volunteers have conducted trainings with more than 400 Mongolian medical professionals around the country, and delivered more than $630,000 worth of medical supplies to thirty-six clinics and hospitals countrywide. We have worked in 12 of Mongolia’s 21 provinces conducting medical training, distributing medical supplies, and compiling Medical Needs Assessments on each trip. We have identified important needs in the developing Mongolian health care system.
- In 1999, shipped and hand-distributed one 10-ton container of high quality winter clothing, educational and medical supplies to Mongolian residents and certified facilities.
- In the end of 2007 we set up our own office.
Objectives for Fiscal Year Beginning 01/01/2008
- In November, ship and hand-distribute one 10-ton container of high quality winter clothing, educational and medical supplies to Mongolian residents and certified facilities.
- Complete the first surgical training trip in fall of 2008.
- Identify needs of developing countries, plan and fundraise to implement deliveries to meet their needs. Network and coordinate with other nonprofits, governmental agencies, and individuals to improve human living conditions for citizens in developing countries.
Self Assessment
In the past, our goal has been to deliver one 10-ton container every two years to Mongolia. This goal has been changed to one shipment every year.
Chief Executive Profile
Meredith has been at the helm of FIRE since 2004. Cumulatively, she has spent more than 12 months in Mongolia orchestrating five aid distribution trips, researching ongoing and future FIRE projects, and building long-term, sustainable relationships with Mongolian officials, medical professionals, teachers and many more. Potts, who is also a yoga instructor, photographer, and filmmaker, directed and produced One Steppe at a Time: F.I.R.E. in Mongolia, a documentary about FIRE’s 2005 clothing and medical aid distribution trip. In addition to FIRE operations, she has spent over 8 months in India helping the homeless and studying yoga. Her passion for helping others began at age seven after her first encounter with homeless people while visiting San Francisco.
Additional Comments
This effort began in the mid '90s by two photographers who saw firsthand Mongolia's poverty resulting from the collapse of their state-supported welfare system.
From May 1998 to August 2002, this group was known as the Mongolian Orphan Association and was renamed Flagstaff International Relief Effort upon incorporation and formal application for tax exempt status in August 2002.
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Basic Information
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This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.
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EIN: |
71-0877496 |
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Executive:
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Meredith
Potts,
Director, Founder
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Contact:
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Meredith
Potts,
Executive Director
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Phone:
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(928) 779-2288
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Fax:
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(928) 779-2401
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E-mail:
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fire@fireprojects.org
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Fiscal
Year: |
2008
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Assets:
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$3,636
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Income:
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$46,725
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Year Founded: |
1997 |
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No. of Board Members:
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5
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No. of Full Time Employees:
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1-5
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No. of Part-Time Employees:
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1-5
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Volunteers:
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21-100
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Audited Statements Available to Public:
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No
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Funding: |
This organization is seeking funds from contributions and grants. These funds will be used for unrestricted operating expenses and special projects.
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Locations Served: |
Mongolia, Developing Countries
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Board of Directors
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Dr. Karen Duffy, Planning Coordinator
Dr. John Durham, OTP Leader
David Edwards, Founder of FIRE/Former C.E.O
Meredith Potts, Executive Director/C.E.O
Dr. John Tveten, NOOTT Leader
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