With a large donation from the Broadview Lions, the Broadview Fire Department has realized their goal of purchasing a new set of jaws.
On Thursday evening the Lions club presented a $20,000 cheque to the BFD for their jaws fundraiser. Donations from businesses and residents had totalled $21,000 and with the additional $20,000 the new total is $41,000, just $3,000 shy of their $44,000 goal.
“It is amazing that we can raise over $40,000 in a relatively short time in our small community,” said Brent Bagshaw, Broadview Fire Chief.
“We started fundraising in October 2011 and have nearly reached our goal by mid June 2012,” he said. “We were counting on a government grant to cover 50 per cent of the cost ($22,000) and when we found out the government hadn’t allocated funds to the JEPP program we felt the purchase would be delayed for at least another year.”
“Thankfully our great Lions club presented us with a awesome $20,000 donation that will make these new life saving tools a reality for this summer,” said Bagshaw.
The new set of jaws is on order with delivery expected near the end of July.
“We are still a little short of our total but I am sure the last few thousand will be able to be raised during our five-six week delivery period,” Bagshaw said.
The Fire Departments present set of jaws is 35 years old and only has a cutting force of 40,000 lbf. (pounds of force). The new cutter has a cutting force of 228,855 lbf. Both sets of jaws are Holmartro.
We decided to stay with the same company for the new set of jaws so all tool will be interchangeable, Bagshaw said.
The new set of Holmartro jaws will consist of a Cutter model 4055 with a 228,855 lbf. cutting force; spreader model 4240 with a 33,625 lbf spreading force; ram model XR 4360 with a 22,481 lbf spreading force; a mini cutter model CU 4007 with a 46,458 cutting force; and Honda engine pump DPU60PH.
The new set will feature a duel set of hoses so operators can run two pieces of equipment (ie. cutter and spreader) at one time if needed.
Two other special pieces of equipment with the new set are ram supports and mini cutters. The new ram supports fit perfectly on the wider door sills and B-pillers on both early and late model vehicles. The new versatile mini cutters work excellently on both round and flat material. They are suitable for applications such as cutting car pedals, head restraints and re-bar. With an extremely compact design and one-handed push button controls, it is easy to use them in confined spaces.
The first $41,000 donations to the new Jaws of Life came from Broadview Lions, Percival Health Care Auxiliary, Spectra Energy, Broadview Citizens on Patrol, Broadview Community Supper Committee, Hometown Co-op (10 cents/litre gas), Broadview Credit Union and Hometown Co-op BBQ, Country Antrim Land & Gravel, Ghost Haven Farms Inc., Whitewood Elks, Broadview Hotel, and many personal donations.
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