 |
| Ten U.S Fire departments earned $10,000 each from Liberty Mutual Insurance |
Community residents rally to earn $10,000 grants for their local fire departments by committing to fire safety at Be Fire Smart.
According to a recent survey by the National League of Cities, 14 percent of cities across the country cut police and fire-protection budgets in 2009, usually one of the biggest-ticket items for local governments, with many other cities expected to take similar measures through 2012 due to municipal budget shortfalls. For 10 U.S. fire departments, hard-to-find funding has been found: $10,000 each, thanks to their own community residents who rallied to earn fire safety grants through Liberty Mutual Insurance's second annual BeFireSmart Safety Pledge Program.
Between early September and October 31, more than 78,000 Americans visited BeFireSmart website and took the online "Burning Questions" quiz, answering ten simple true/false questions about home fire safety to earn a credit for their local fire station.
More than 3,100 local fire departments earned credits, with the following 10 leading their population groups to secure the $10,000 Liberty Mutual grants:
Large communities (more than 100,000 residents)
3,100 local fire departments earned credits with 10 leading their population groups to secure the $10,000 Liberty Mutual grants |
Midsize communities
- College Park (Md.) Volunteer Fire Department
- Hutto (Texas) Fire and Rescue
- Midwest City (Okla.) Fire Department
- Mooresville (N.C.) Fire & Rescue
- Whitman (Mass.) Fire Rescue & Emergency Services
- Wilmington (Mass.) Fire Department
Small communities (less than 10,000 residents)
"This program allows residents to embrace their personal and civic responsibility and support the fire service in their own city or town," said Greg Gordon, senior vice president of Consumer Marketing at Liberty Mutual. "We celebrate their efforts with funding for their local fire departments to use toward public education programs, residential fire alarms, upgraded equipment, or any other needs they might have to ensure the safety of countless families across the U.S."
