Reminder News: Fire Dept. Gets Grant

Years ago, the Willington Hill Fire Department obtained a 1968 military surplus pickup truck and, in the late 1970s, with members doing most of the work, converted it into a brushfire truck. Roll cage bars were installed, and other features and modifications were made. After many years of good service, the time has come to replace the faithful vehicle with a brushfire truck offering modern fire-fighting capabilities.

“The department was notified yesterday afternoon [Nov. 15] by Congressman Joe Courtney’s office that we have been selected to receive a grant for $118,750 for replacement of our 1968 military surplus brush-fire truck,” said Willington Hill Fire Department Chief Mike Makuch. “We would like to thank his office for their support, as well as their efforts in trying to secure volunteer firefighter tax breaks.”

“Former Deputy Chief Tom Snyder, Firefighter Craig Motola and Willington Fire Department #1 Assistant Chief Stuart Cobb were all instrumental in researching, writing and managing the grant process. Without their hard work, I would not be sharing this good news today.”

The grant-writing project is an example of the spirit of cooperation that exists between the two Willington fire departments. “Stuart Cobb is experienced with grant-writing and even though he is an officer with Willington #1, he was willing to help us out,” said Makuch.

“We are, of course, very excited about this. The $125,000 grant does require matching funds of $6250, which we will be pursuing immediately,” he said. “A new truck will benefit the department by modernizing brushfire fighting capabilities. It will include safety features, such as a modern braking system and cab functions, such as high output heat and defrost systems that are marginal in military surplus vehicles from the 1960s. In addition, this will benefit the town with the improved equipment available for emergencies, and the fact that the cost will mostly be borne by the grant, as opposed to directly by the taxpayers of Willington.”

“The town’s Capitol Improvement Plan has earmarked $60,000 in Fiscal Year 2009-10 for refurbishment work on the current truck and another truck at Willington Hill, so this grant award will further benefit the budget process by releasing some of that funding for other priorities,” Makuch added.

Negotiations for a replacement brushfire truck will soon be underway. “We know what we’re aiming for – a Unimog made by Mercedes. European military units have used this model for decades. We need to keep the size as small as possible, so that fewer trees have to be cut to clear a path for the truck to get to a fire,” Makuch explained. “These trucks have to be constructed of rugged materials for crashing through the brush.”

“The other major benefit of this new truck will be of a regional nature. As this is a somewhat specialized piece of equipment, not every fire station has one, and when a brushfire truck is needed, often more than one is required at a time, he said. “The current truck has been many places in eastern Connecticut as well as central Massachusetts, as part of our mutual aid plan, which has also provided assistance from those areas to Willington in the past. The new brushfire truck will be going to fires in a number of towns. For example, we used the present truck to help fight a large fire in the Palmer, Mass., area in the late 1990s.”

“Congressman Courtney’s office is planning to have more information and maybe a local press event sometime in December,” the chief said.

“These grants are so vital a resource to our first responders because they allow area fire departments to improve services without compromising other local initiatives,” said Courtney in a Nov. 15 press release announcing grants to the Willimantic Fire Department and to Willington Hill Fire Department. “Our firefighters volunteer themselves to protect our communities, and we must do all that we can to return the favor.”

Reminder News, By Phyllis Royx