Connecticut firefighters promoting organ and tissue donation

Image of Phil Lesh via Tony on Flickr via WikipediaFirefighters in Westport, Connecticut are promoting organ and tissue donation through a new program called "Firefighters Going Further." According to the article Westport Firefighters Step-up Campaign for Organ, Tissue Donors on westport-news.com, the program began about a year ago after Westport firefighter Joseph Arnson heard former Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh speak about his own liver transplant. Lesh was speaking after a concert at the Gathering of the Vibes festival last year about how one person's decision to be an organ donor gave him a second chance to live. Lesh's word's were the inspiration for the new program.

The program was originally intended to promote organ and tissue donation awareness among firefighters and encourage them to be organ and tissue donors. However, on April 4th, the Westport Fire Department will kick-off their expansion of the program into their local community. The event will include the raising of a Donate Life flag autographed by each member of the department at headquarters. Their goal is to raise awareness locally in hopes of saving lives there. These guys have realized that organ and tissue donation is not about death - it's about life. We all need to learn that lesson.