WPCNR CITY HALL TICKER. From The Mayor's Office. April 11, 2008: White Plains-based Preferred Services Group and Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company are awarding the White Plains Fire Department a $19,000 grant, earmarked for use by the White Plains Public Safety Bureau of Fire. The Bureau of Fire will use these funds to purchase seven Panasonic Toughbook® latop computers and six portable printers to conduct building inspections, create fire pre-plans and improve the record keeping capabilities of the department. In 2006, the two companies awarded a $9,000 grant to the Department for the “Jaws of Life” rescue tool and smoke detectors to strengthen their Residential Public Education/Smoke Detector Program.
“One of the most important services this department provides citizens and business owners of White Plains is the fire safety inspections we conduct on all properties,” stated Richard Lyman, White Plains Fire Chief. “Unfortunately, as the city continues to grow, it becomes much harder for our inspection crews to handle their full workload. These laptops and printers will greatly enhance our crews’ capabilities, allowing them to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently. This, ultimately, will help make White Plains safer.”
“I’m very grateful to Preferred Services Group and the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company for awarding our outstanding Public Safety Bureau of Fire with this much needed equipment,” said White Plains Mayor Joseph M. Delfino. “These two generous companies demonstrate the best of corporate responsibility and community relations.”
Executives from Preferred Services Group and Fireman’s Fund will formally present the grant to Mayor Delfino, Public Safety Commissioner Frank G. Straub, PhD., Chief Lyman and other local officials at a City Hall ceremony April 30.
The Toughbook computers as well as the printers will enable the department to: track inspections more efficiently, obtain on-site access of inspection history of various properties, print forms at the inspection site, and transfer data immediately to the office. In addition, the computers can store critical data used during emergency response operations, including street and hydrant locations, incident management reports and the location of hazardous materials.
“Just like having high-level emergency response to fires is critical for safety, so is having a true focus on fire prevention,” said Ken Murray, vice president of sales & marketing for Preferred Services Group. “The White Plains Public Safety Bureau of Fire has a true commitment to fire prevention and this grant will support their field workers efforts.”
The grant package is part of a nationwide program called Fireman’s Fund Heritage® which is funded by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. Since 2004, Fireman’s Fund has issued over 900 grants totaling more than $17 million to fire departments across the country for needed equipment, training and educational tools. Independent insurance agencies/brokers that sell Fireman’s Fund products, like Preferred Services Group, are able to direct these grants to support fire stations in their communities.
