BGE Presents Nearly $320,000 in Grants to Emergency Response Organizations throughout Central Maryland

BGE Presents Nearly $320,000 in Grants to Emergency Response Organizations throughout Central Maryland

To view photos from the event, please visit BGE’s Flickr site <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybge/sets/72157632591111561/> . Thank you.
 
 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Presents Nearly $320,000 in Grants to Emergency Response Organizations throughout Central Maryland

New grant program recognizes long-standing company support of and collaboration with emergency service organizations

BALTIMORE, Jan. 23, 2013 – Baltimore Gas and Electric Company (BGE) <http://www.bge.com/Pages/default.aspx>  today announced that it is providing nearly $320,000 in grants to approximately 40 emergency response and safety organizations throughout its central Maryland service area.  BGE held a press conference today at the Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company, where it officially presented the grants to representatives from the emergency response and service organizations. The organizations are using the BGE grant monies to fund equipment, programs or services that are critical to the safety of communities in which BGE serves.

“BGE naturally has a strong appreciation for the critically important role volunteer emergency response and safety organizations play throughout the state of Maryland and BGE’s service area, in particular,” said Kenneth W. DeFontes Jr., BGE president and chief executive officer. “Through this new and innovative grant program, BGE has a unique opportunity to strengthen our collective ties with our volunteer emergency responder colleagues.  Teamed with career emergency responders, these organizations and their highly trained and dedicated personnel are second to none in ensuring the safety of Marylanders, and BGE is pleased to be a part of this effort.” 

In late 2012, BGE launched a new grant program designed specifically for emergency response and safety organizations. Eligible 501c3 organizations that provide emergency services support – either preparedness or response and recovery – had the opportunity to apply for a single grant of up to $10,000. Multiple grant opportunities were available and grants were considered for new and existing programs that fell within the grant description guidelines, as well as requests for funding that clearly demonstrated improvement in response efforts to the urgent and immediate needs of the community. 

 “BGE has a long-standing commitment to enhancing the communities in which we live and work, whether it’s through philanthropic giving or employee volunteer opportunities, and this new grant program represents yet another means for extending that commitment to our customers,” said DeFontes. “Importantly, this grant provides BGE with an opportunity to give back to our emergency response partners, be it in the nonprofit sector or at the local or state level, who day-in and day-out, are poised to respond in our times of need.” 

In 2012, BGE employees logged nearly 800 volunteer hours with safety and emergency response organizations, including volunteer fire companies, EMS organizations and the American Red Cross. BGE also offers complimentary electric and natural gas safety training to emergency responders through its utility training department.

Since its founding nearly 200 years ago, BGE has played an integral role in working with Maryland communities to address economic development, public safety, civic issues and other initiatives that help enhance our neighborhoods. Through the use of shareholder dollars, BGE supports programs that deliver measurable and sustainable impact in areas of energy efficiency and assistance, education, the environment, economic and community development, emergency response and safety.  

BGE’s corporate citizenship aligns with that of its parent company, Exelon Corporation. As part of Exelon’s merger in March 2012, Exelon and its subsidiaries have committed to maintain charitable giving of an average of $7 million per year in Maryland, including BGE’s service area, for the next 10 years.  

Following is a list of the organizations that received grants and the equipment and/or programs the grants are funding: 

Anne Arundel County:

·         American Logistics Aid Network – Strengthening Maryland’s emergency response network

·         Arnold Volunteer Fire Department – Emergency communications

·         Civil Air Patrol – Search and rescue equipment and training

·         Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company – Equipment and tools for new brush fire truck 

·         Odenton Volunteer Fire Company – Emergency fire equipment

·         Ready Chesapeake, Inc. – Ready Chesapeake Community Business Operations Center

·         Woodland Beach Volunteer Fire Department – First Aid, CPR and AED training program

Baltimore City:

·         American Red Cross Central Maryland Chapter – Four response trailers

·         Box 414 Association – Replacement of aging infrastructure

·         National Fallen Firefighters Foundation – Purchase of smoke alarms for use in Baltimore City

·         Northwest Citizens Patrol Inc. – Neighborhood watch radio upgrade 

Baltimore County:

·         Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department – Thermal imaging camera

·         Arcadia Volunteer Fire Company – Jaws of life tools and cutters

·         Box 234 Association – Purchase of a rehabilitation vehicle

·         Central Alarmers – Purchase of rehabilitation vehicle

·         Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company – Enhanced toxic gas measurement tools

·         Friends to Police Exploring – Training and procurement of equipment

·         Hereford Volunteer Ambulance Association – Pulse Oximeter 

·         Hereford Volunteer Fire Company – Refurbishment of a brush fire truck

·         Jobs Housing and Recovery Inc. – Severe weather emergency fund

·         Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company – Kingsville Volunteer Fire Company Capital Campaign

·         Liberty Road Volunteer Fire Company – Replacement of station alerting system

·         Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company – Enhanced Alerting System

·         Maryland Line Volunteer Fire Company – Automated External Defibrillators (AED)

·         North Point Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department – Marine Fire Rescue Vessel

·         Owings Mills Volunteer Fire Company – Large diameter hose

·         Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company – Thermal imaging camera

·         Providence Volunteer Fire Company – Thermal imaging camera

·         Rosedale Volunteer Fire Company - Automatic Electronic Defibrillators (AED)

·         White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company - Meeting and Exceeding the Needs of the Community through Improving Service Delivery

Carroll County:

·         Sykesville Freedom District Fire Department – Gas meter purchase program for emergency response and disaster preparedness

Harford County:

·         Abingdon Fire Company – EMS turn out gear

·         Harford County Sheriff’s Foundation, Inc. – Fingerprint Initiative

·         Harford County Volunteer Fire and EMS Foundation, Inc. – ANSI Class 2 coat replacement

Howard County:

·         Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company – Hydraulic extrication tools

Montgomery County:
·         Burtonsville Volunteer Fire Department – Volunteer firemen recruitment

Prince George’s County:

·         Kentland Volunteer Fire Department – Gas detection equipment replacement program

·         Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad – Natural gas monitoring and detection equipment

·         National Volunteer Fire Council Inc. – Partnership in preparedness

·         St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church – Disaster response program and enhancement for onsite shelter 

For more information on the BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grant program <http://www.bge.com/ourcommitments/community/pages/charitable-contributions.aspx> , visit bge.com <http://www.bge.com/ourcommitments/pages/default.aspx> . To view photos from the event, visit BGE’s Flickr site <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybge/sets/72157632591111561/> .

BGE <http://www.bge.com/Pages/default.aspx> , headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland’s largest gas and electric utility, delivering power to more than 1.2 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland. The company’s approximately 3,400 employees are committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas and electricity, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation’s leading competitive energy provider with approximately $33 billion in annual revenues.  Like us on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/myBGE>  and follow us on Twitter <http://twitter.com/mybge> , YouTube <http://www.youtube.com/baltimoregaselectric>   and Flickr <http://www.flickr.com/photos/mybge> .