The St. Louis Fire Department was joined by two insurance companies and the Director of the Missouri Department of Insurance to announce a $36,949 grant that will make St. Louis firefighters safer and celebrate a milestone.
The St. Louis Fire Department was selected for the grant by Parcel Insurance Plan, a local subsidiary of Brown & Brown Insurance. The grant funds state-of-the-art EZ Scape Integrated Self Rescue Belts, which allow firefighters to safely exit upper floors of a building through a window if they become trapped by the path of a fire.
The grant is one of 66 grants awarded to fire departments in Missouri since 2004, bringing the total amount of dollars awarded by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company (Fireman’s Fund®) to more than $1 million since 2004. This includes $91,797 awarded to the Joplin Fire Department in the aftermath of last year’s devastating tornado that claimed one of the city’s fire stations.
“Firefighters risk their lives every day, entering intense and unpredictable situations. These new rescue belts allow us to provide our firefighters with a secure, reliable means of escape from the dangers of a high-rise building,” said Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson. “We commend Fireman’s Fund for all they have done to support the fire service in the state of Missouri – and across the country. Without a doubt, these grants help firefighters save lives.”
“We are proud to reach this milestone in Missouri simply because these grants help firefighters better protect and serve the communities they serve,” said Lori Fouché, president and chief executive officer of Fireman’s Fund. “Fireman’s Fund is proud to partner with our independent agencies to support firefighters for safer communities.”
“The items that come with this grant can be used by firefighters for years to come,” said Dan Daly of Parcel Insurance Plan, a subsidiary of Brown & Brown Insurance, which focuses its business on insuring packages shipped across the globe. “Firefighters will be safer with this gear and our company is very pleased to support the community in such a meaningful way.”
The grant is part of a nationwide philanthropic program funded by Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. The program is designed to provide needed equipment, training and educational tools to local fire department and burn prevention organizations. Since 2004, Fireman’s Fund has issued grants to nearly 1,800 different organizations totaling more than $29 million. Independent insurance agencies and brokers that sell Fireman’s Fund products, like Parcel Insurance Program and Brown & Brown Insurance, are able to direct these grants to support the fire service. To learn more about this grant program, please visit www.facebook.com/SupportingFirefighters.
