Annual Burn Relay to Roll Through San Rafael on Wednesday

If you work in or plan to visit the downtown San Rafael area Wednesday, your lunch break could be a tad bit loud.

North Bay fire departments and members of emergency response agencies will rev up and roll through Sonoma and Marin counties Wednesday for the 15th annual North Bay Firefighter Burn Relay, a benefit for the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.

With an escort from the California Highway Patrol, a parade of trucks will roll into downtown San Rafael and pull in front of the Fire Station No. 51 at Fifth Avenue and C Street at 2:15 p.m. for a 15-minute stop after taking their hour lunch break in Marinwood. From San Rafael, they will continue on to Ross Valley. 

The annual fundraising parade of antique and modern emergency vehicles will kick off at Healdsburg Fire Department and make its way through down to the Southern Marin Fire Station No. 1 in Sausalito. 

Along the relay route, off-duty firefighters will collect donations raised by fire and public safety agencies through annual community events such as golf tournaments, pancake breakfasts and spaghetti dinners and then formally present the funds to the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation.

Funds raised provide services to burn survivors and support burn prevention education programs. In honor of the 15th year of the relay, each participant will be recognized for the continued commitment to furthering the mission of the AARBF. To learn more about the foundation, check www.aarbf.org.