Wheatland Electric Inc. on Friday announced that its Sharing Success Fund, managed by the Scott Community Foundation, has awarded a $1,000 grant to the Great Bend Fire Department.
The Great Bend Fire Department submitted its request for a $1,000 grant which would help with the cost of purchasing the BullEx/BullsEye Digital Fire Extinguisher system with the R.A.C.E system and Electrical Shut off. The BullEx system allows the Fire Department to conduct important fire safety education training in any setting. The BullsEye is a virtual training tool that uses digital flame generation and patented sensor technology to demonstrate proper fire extinguishment techniques. This self-contained system allows the trainings to be conducted indoors when necessary, allowing more training opportunities and less restrictions due to weather and/or available space.
Founded in 1874
The Great Bend Fire Department was founded in 1874 with a hand-drawn wagon, two dozen leather buckets and two 16-foot ladders. The department has grown to a fully-staffed department of 24 shift members, along with the fire chief, fire inspector, four volunteers, and department secretary. The department has two staffed stations in the city and one unstaffed station at the airport. The department provides fire protection and rescue for the City of Great Bend and the four surrounding townships.
Great Bend Fire Department Fire Prevention program teaches to approximately 2,200 students annually during October, Fire Prevention Month. They also provide Fire Extinguisher Training to more than 10 organizations per year including Wheatland Electric.
About the Foundation and Wheatland Electric
The Scott Community Foundation began formally accepting applications for grants from the Wheatland Electric Sharing Success Fund from non-profit organizations on December 1, 2012. Wheatland Electric and CoBank have contributed an additional $5,000 each year to the fund. The program will continue to run until the funds are exhausted. Non-profit groups interested in receiving funding from the Wheatland Electric Sharing Success Fund should contact the Scott Community Foundation at 620-872-3790 for further details.
Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc., a member-owned distribution cooperative headquartered in Scott City, was established in 1948 as a distribution and power cooperative. Today, Wheatland Electric serves more than 33,000 electric meters in 19 different counties and maintains over 4,000 miles of distribution power lines across western and south-central Kansas. For more information visit www.weci.net.
