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Another Year of Fireman’s Fund Heritage
As 2006 comes to a close, we'd like to look back at what the Fireman's Fund Heritage program accomplished this year, as well as give some hints about what's upcoming in 2007. It has been a banner year for the program, as we have given well over 200 grants this year to individual fire departments and other fire service organizations across the country. In fact, this was the year that total Heritage grants climbed past the $10 million mark.
Because funding for the Fireman's Fund Heritage program is tied to our company's financial performance, we also want to recognize the hard work this year of the dedicated Fireman's Fund employees — and the support of independent agents who offer our products and the role of their clients who trust Fireman's Fund for their insurance needs. Our employees and agents are the reason we can support the fire service and we appreciate their contributions to making the Fireman's Fund Heritage program such a success.
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Our largest grant this year went to the Burbank Fire Department
for a flashover training facility.
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Grants of All Kinds
Fireman's Fund grants to fire departments went towards a range of items, from basic purchases of fire hose, extrication equipment and thermal imaging cameras to more unique grants like one to the FDNY High School and even to a canine arson investigation program.
The smallest donation level under our program rules is $5,000 and the many grants that our agents directed at this level went to purchase turnout gear, wildfire tents, smoke detectors and defibrillators for departments across the nation. Our largest grant this year was for a flashover fire survival training system, which will provide training to the personnel of the Burbank Calif., Fire Department in the area of interior structural firefighting. Fireman's Fund, in association with the Dewitt Stern Group, awarded a $157,218 grant to the department to construct the facility. Flashover is the second ranking cause of death in action, killing an average of five firefighters a year in the United States.
The new training facility will include three trailers, each for a separate phase of training. In the first trailer, firefighters will observe the progress of a fire, from ignition to flashover. At the second trailer, a flashover will be aimed at the standing firefighters, who will use a hose stream to ventilate gasses and control the flames. The third trailer will simulate a two-story structure, where firefighters will perform aggressive attacks on a fire and simulate search and rescue of a downed firefighter. Overall, the facility will provide life saving training for firefighters from Burbank and 10 neighboring community departments serving over 800,000 people.
Making a Real Difference
Other grants have already made a difference in terms of lives and property saved in 2006. Here are just a few recent examples of our grants in action:
- The Hahira Fire Department near Atlanta used a new hydraulic rescue and extrication tool obtained through a Fireman's Fund grant to rescue three family members from a serious car accident. The rescue crew was able to extricate the critically injured victims at least 10 minutes faster than was previously possible.
- Firefighters in the town of Wyoming, Ohio, using a thermal imaging camera purchased through a Fireman's Fund grant, prevented a major potential disaster. Responding to a minor fire in an apartment building's basement, a captain identified an overheated boiler on the verge of exploding with the thermal imager. The crew evacuated the building.
- In Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, new rescue equipment was used to rescue a two-year-old child who had climbed into a heating duct and become trapped. Complicating the situation was the fact that the duct was inside an old masonry chimney. The department chief credited a successful outcome to new rescue equipment and tools purchased though a Fireman's Fund grant.
“Into the Fire”
 Fireman's Fund announced the release of a dramatic, new documentary film in 2006. Entitled "Into the Fire," this film features the real fire service stories from around the country — all told by the firefighters who actually lived them. The film received great reviews from both firefighters and the critics and after appearing on The History Channel® in October.
Fireman's Fund will donate its profits from DVD sales of "Into the Fire" to help provide firefighters nationwide with needed equipment. In 2007, we will be announcing how you can get your copy of "Into the Fire" and how your fire department can benefit from fundraising opportunities related to "Into the Fire." Look for more on this next month.
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Congratulations to this month's Fireman's Fund Heritage grant recipients! |
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Alabama
- Montgomery Fire Department, Montgomery — $15,000 for a thermal imaging camera and "Sparky" mascot suit for fire safety education
Arizona
- Pinewood Fire Department, Munds Park — $7,359 for an ATV for wildland firefighting and rescues
Arkansas
- Russellville Fire Department, Russelville — $10,000 for emergency multi-use utility vehicle
California
- Fire Safe Sonoma, Santa Rosa — $11,049 for a community wildfire education plan
- Grover Beach Fire Department, Grover Beach — $7,200 for turnout gear
- North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Tahoe City — $10,000 for a geographic information system and disaster preparedness program
Florida
- Winter Garden Fire Department, Winter Garden — $35,000 for a fire safety house
- Clearwater Fire & Rescue Department, Clearwater — $15,000 for a DriveCam driver risk management program
Georgia
- Forsyth County Fire, Cumming — $8,610 for a thermal imaging camera
- Newton County Fire Services, Covington — $18,280 for communications and fitness equipment
Hawaii
- Honolulu Fire Department, Honolulu — $115,000 for a fire safety house
Illinois
- Schaumburg Fire Department, Schaumburg — $25,000 for rescue equipment, training equipment & prop renovation
New Jersey
- West Orange Fire Department, West Orange — $10,000 for a thermal imaging camera
Oregon
- Medford Fire Department, Medford — $7,700 for an EMS mannequin
Pennsylvania
- Williamsport Bureau of Fire, Williamsport — $10,000 for a thermal imaging camera
Texas
- La Porte Fire Department, La Porte — $15,000 for software purchase, installation & support; SCBA bottles
- Lorena Volunteer Fire Department, Lorena — $12,400 for hose, piping, pump and microphones
A complete list of grants (pdf) is available at www.firemansfund.com/heritage.
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