Over the past few years, I have seen many of my brother and sister firefighters experience the joy of having a new child brought into their life. A new addition to the fire department family; but I have also seen what seems to be an alarming number of these children being born with some sort of birth defect. Why is this? We all know the risks of firefighting and what it can do to our health...heart disease, lung disease, permanent injury...but now it is affecting the innocent...our children. Studies have shown that firefighters children are nearly four times more at risk than others.

This past year alone, two members of my immediate fire department family were blessed with special needs children. I witnessed first hand the trials and tribulations associated with these children. The time, effort, resources, and money that goes in to raising these children.

These two children were the inspiration for the Zachary Project. Thank you to the Melbourne Professional Firefighters, to the law offices of Platt, Jacobus, Fielding, and Torres, to CK Communications, but most importantly, thank you to Stephen Skinner and Zachary Apel for making us realize the need for a foundation such as this, you truly are special.

Eric Hargreaves, Melbourne FL