|
Dear
Community Supporter,
April 2010
Your Volunteer Fire Department answered over 3000
calls for EMS, Fire, Rescue, and Swift Water Rescue services within and
around the Arbutus Community during 2009. We also continued to visit
the schools to educate our most precious resource, our children, in fire
prevention and safety at home and in school. In order to continue to
provide the service you’ve come to insist on and deserve we are once
again asking for your financial assistance.
Over the
past year we made significant improvements to the fire station, which
includes a new covering on our exterior walls and new interior lighting,
both of which improved the energy efficiency of the building. We
continue to evaluate our list of capital projects to address both our
facilities and apparatus needs over the next 15 years. Some of these
plans are on hold until additional funds become available. We also
understand that everyone is still feeling the affects of the recession,
although rest assure that your Volunteer Fire Department continues to
strive to provide the best service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Over the
next year we plan to replace your oldest ambulance which has reached it
useful lifetime and the expected cost of replacement is over $160,000.
Directly behind that is our largest challenge which continues to be the
replacement of your heavy duty rescue squad which carries all
types of equipment and tools for rescuing citizens involved in motor
vehicle accidents, industrial accidents, building collapses, and other
precarious situations. Your current squad is 17 years old and while it
has served us well it is showing its age and will need to be replaced
within the next several years. The replacement cost is expected to be
approximately $750,000 which we currently have set aside approximately
15% of that expense. Additionally, as many of you have experienced,
our general maintenance cost continue to increase.
Other than
our Photo Fund Drive this is our only direct request to the community
for assistance. The mailing is
handled by members of our department which enables us to receive 100% of
your donation. Also we do not conduct telephone solicitations.
We’d also ask that you check to see if your employer offers matching
donations for employees who donate to charitable organizations. So
please check with your company’s financial department to see if they
participate in this type of program.
Please take
a few moments to make your donation online by clicking on the "Donate"
button. If you would like to find out more about the department, or are
interested in joining, then please stop by, visit us online, or join us
during our monthly social at the firehouse on the first Wednesday of
every month at 7 PM.
Thank You
for your continued support of the Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department and
Auxiliary.
Respectfully,
John W. McDowell
President
|
