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Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. on Wednesday donated $317,883 to groups across the state that BGE President and CEO Kenneth DeFontes Jr. calls the utility company's "kindred spirits" — Maryland's emergency responders.
"This is something new for us," DeFontes said at gathering of emergency and fire personnel at the Jan. 23 announcement event held at Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company's station. "It was the brainchild of my team of people who look at how we could engage with the emergency responders in the state, so we developed this grant program and I couldn't be more pleased with the success."
Forty emergency response and safety entities from Baltimore City and Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George's counties received the grants. BGE launched the grant program in late 2012. Eligible organizations that provide emergency services support throughout BGE's central Maryland service area – either preparedness or response and recovery – were able to apply for a single grant of up to $10,000, a release stated.
Each entity is using the funds for different purposes although all are being used to improve in some manner their emergency response, BGE officials said.
"You can see quite a diversity of the ways this money can be put to good use," DeFontes said. "That's kind of what's cool about it, because we reached out to the community and said, 'You tell us what the need is.' "
Several Baltimore County volunteer fire stations, including Providence, Pikesville and Arbutus, earmarked the grant money for thermal imaging cameras. North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Company requested a new marine fire rescue vessel; and the Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company purchased Jaws of Life equipment.
"In these fiscally turbulent times that we're living in, companies that award money to volunteer organizations are very, very, very much appreciated," Chuck Bollanger, president of the Baltimore County Volunteer Fire Association, said.
The Red Cross Central Maryland Chapter plans to obtain and stock four emergency trailers to be stored in Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel and Harford counties to shorten the response time from its Baltimore headquarters.
Linnea Anderson, corporate giving officer for the American Red Cross Chesapeake Region, said it can take anywhere between four and six hours after a disaster strikes to pack a trailer and deliver supplies to those who need help.
"Now, with the generous gift from BGE, the Red Cross will be able to preposition trailers in all of our counties," Anderson said. "Those trailers will be ready. They will have cots in them, they will have food, they will have water, they will have blankets to keep people warm, and when help can't wait, we won't lose those critical few hours."
Below is a list supplied by BGE of organizations which received grants and how the money will be used.
Anne Arundel County:
American Logistics Aid Network - strengthening Maryland's emergency response network
Arnold Volunteer Fire Department - emergency communications
Civil Air Patrol - search and rescue equipment and training
Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company - equipment and tools for new brush fire truck
Odenton Volunteer Fire Company - emergency fire equipment
Ready Chesapeake Inc. - Ready Chesapeake Community Business Operations Center
Woodland Beach Volunteer Fire Department - first aid, CPR and AED training program
Baltimore City:
American Red Cross Central Maryland Chapter - four response trailers
Box 414 Association - replacement of aging infrastructure
National Fallen Firefighters Foundation - purchase of smoke alarms for use in Baltimore City
Northwest Citizens Patrol Inc. - Neighborhood Watch radio upgrade
Baltimore County:
Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department - thermal imaging camera
Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company - Jaws of Life tools and cutters
Box 234 Association - purchase of a rehabilitation vehicle
Central Alarmers - purchase of rehabilitation vehicle
Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company - enhanced toxic gas measurement tools
Friends to Police Exploring - training and procurement of equipment
Hereford Volunteer Ambulance Association - Pulse Oximeter
Hereford Volunteer Fire Company - refurbishment of a brush fire truck
Jobs Housing and Recovery Inc. - severe weather emergency fund
Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company - Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company Capital Campaign
Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Company - replacement of station alerting system
Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company - Enhanced Alerting System
Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Company - Automated External Defibrillators (AED)
North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department - Marine fire rescue vessel
Owings Mills Volunteer Fire Company - large diameter hose
Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company - thermal imaging camera
Providence Volunteer Fire Company - thermal imaging camera
Rosedale Volunteer Fire Company - Automatic Electronic Defibrillators (AED)
White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company - meeting and exceeding the needs of the community through improving service delivery
Carroll County:
Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department - gas meter purchase program for emergency response and disaster preparedness
Harford County:
Abingdon Fire Company - EMS turn out gear
Harford County Sheriff's Foundation Inc. - fingerprint initiative
Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Foundation Inc. - ANSI Class 2 coat replacement
Howard County:
Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company - hydraulic extrication tools
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Montgomery County:
Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department - volunteer firemen recruitment
Prince George's County:
Kentland Volunteer Fire Department - gas detection equipment replacement program
Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad - natural gas monitoring and detection equipment
National Volunteer Fire Council Inc. - partnership in preparedness
St. Matthew's United Methodist Church - disaster response program and enhancement for onsite shelter