Cedar Rapids Fire Department Hosts “Fire Bowl” for Iowa Babies

Knox Blocks is a local nonprofit organization whose mission is simple. To give families "a little extra peace of mind and a little piece of Knox." They raise money through donations to purchase Owlet Smart Socks, which are worn by infants to track oxygen and heart rate. If they fall outside healthy levels, parents are alerted.

Who is Knox?

Knox was the 3-year-old son of Elisha Palmer and her husband. They lost Knox in 2017 to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Their story is harrowing, as told by Elisha to KCRG:

As I’m turning, the paramedics are turning right in front of me with lights sirens on. And as I pull up behind them, and they’re getting out of the vehicle, that La Porte City Sheriff was carrying him out. He was wrapped in a blanket, you could tell I mean, he was lifeless at that point, I could just see, you know, his legs, sticking it out and kind of dangling

He fell asleep at daycare and never woke up. Since then they've done everything they could to help other parents avoid a situation like theirs through their foundation and they will be the beneficiaries of a volleyball tournament held by the Cedar Rapids Fire Department and Cedar Rapids Firefighters Association, known as "Fire Bowl."

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The event started in 2010

First starting out as a 7-on-7 flag football event, "Fire Bowl" morphed in 2016 into a 6-on-6 sand volleyball tournament. According to the Fire Bowl website, they have raised over $190,000 in funds for dozens of local charities including Make-A-Wish Iowa, Safe Sleep Task Force of Eastern Iowa, and Folds of Honor, among others.

Register for Fire Bowl on August 14

The cost to enter for a team of 6 is $300, the cost of one Smart Sock. That's a lot of money, but now you know how valuable a resource these are. If you'd like to participate, register here.