GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A new non-profit to benefit Green Bay’s fire department was announced Wednesday.
The Green Bay Metro Fire Foundation allows people from the community to make donations that will support the department.
“Who are more important than our fire department?” asked Ed Martin of H.J. Martin and Son.
Martin donated the first $10,000 to kick-start the foundation, which will be managed and supported by the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation.
“The foundation’s role is really to help connect resources, our community and donors to those who serve,” says President/CEO of Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Dennis Buehler.
Foundations, like this one, are created to supplement the current budget of the department for extra things it may need.
“The budget supported by tax dollars should fund the basic needs of the police and fire departments, but just like any family budget ,you have some ‘like to have items’ or ‘items that would help,'” says Rod Goldhahn, Green Bay’s president of Police and Fire Commission.
“There’s going to be a specific wish list, if you will, of specific needs, costs associated with it, and reasons,” says Green Bay Metro Fire Department’s Chief Matthew Knott.
Knott says there are various items they are looking for.
“We’re looking at exploring some specific technology and whether its cardiac impression devices, whether its other medical equipment, whether its facilities, training props. There’s a lot of things we need that is difficult to budget for in a normal year.”
Not only will the new foundation be able to assist in necessities and new technology but also some lifestyle items that the fire department could need.
“Much like your home, we have workout equipment,” explains Knott. “We cook here, we clean here, we do all the things we do at home.”
Green Bay Common Council members have been working on this for quite some time.
“What really kickstarted it was that stations one and three are almost 100 years old, so they need to be replaced,” says Green Bay Alderperson Melinda Eck.
Alderperson Jennifer Grant says it also allows the community the opportunity to give back.
“They save lives, and people sometimes want to give a thank you after that, and this an opportunity to now.”
Comments