Malta Ridge Fire Department receives fire prevention grant from FM Global

MALTA -The Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Co. has received a $1,200 fire prevention grant from FM Global, one of the world’s largest property insurers, to purchase a system of software applications used to plan for and respond to chemical and hazardous material emergencies.

The Computer-Aided Management of Emergency Operations System is a system of software applications used to plan for and respond to chemical and hazardous material emergencies.

The CAMEO System will be used by the Saratoga County Hazardous Materials team, the Round Lake and Malta Ridge Fire companies primarily for responses to the Luther Forest Technology Campus, the GlobalFoundries facility and for chemical transportation accidents in the community.

“We continue to look for ways to bring in state and federal money as the need for additional fire protection resources continues to grow,” said Rich Guerin, Malta Ridge lieutentant and the fire company grant writer. “The FM Global grant not only enables us to improve our emergency response capabilities and upgrade equipment, but also lessens the financial burden on Malta taxpayers.”

“Malta residents receive top-quality emergency services at a very low cost because we’ve been able to secure nearly $200,000 in grant dollars in the past 24 months,” said Malta Ridge Chief Pete Shaw. “Our fire protection tax is among the lowest in Saratoga County.”

Because fire continues to be the leading cause of property damage worldwide, during the past 30 years FM Global has contributed millions of dollars in fire prevention grants to fire service organizations around the globe. Locally, the company has awarded grants to a number of New York-based organizations.

“At FM Global, we strongly believe the majority of property damage is preventable, not inevitable,” said Michael Spaziani, manager of the fire prevention grant program. “Far too often, inadequate budgets prevent those organizations working to prevent fire from being as proactive as they would like to be. With additional financial support, grant recipients are actively helping to improve property risk in the communities they serve.”

Through its Fire Prevention Grant Program (www.fmglobal.com/grants), FM Global awards grants quarterly to fire departments - as well as national, state, regional, local and community organizations worldwide - that best demonstrate a need for funding, where dollars can have the most demonstrable impact on preventing fire or mitigating the damage it can quickly cause.

FM Global representatives on Monday presented the award to Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Co. President Richard Jennings and Chief Pete Shaw at the GlobalFoundries facility located within the Luther Forest Technology Campus in Malta.

The fire companies of Malta - Malta Ridge Volunteer Fire Co. Inc. and partner Round Lake Fire Department - are recruiting new volunteers to fill positions of firefighter, organizational management, scene support, maintenance and business and administrative positions. For more information, go to www.maltaridgefire.com and www.rlfd.net.