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Vital equipment needed to help the Asbury Park Fire Department be more efficient while on calls will be funded by a Fireman’s Fund Insurance grant made possible via Ascend Insurance Brokerage and its local Stone Pony client.

The $12,164 grant will be used to purchase three computer-aided dispatch [CAD] units, a mobile computer used for live reporting of ambulance patient data, Fire Captain Robert Pasquariello said.

The CAD allows up-to-the-minute incident information to be transmitted to and from the ambulance fleets in the field as well as for the viewing of pre-fire plans.

Outdated computers, first purchase via a 2008 Fireman’s Insurance grant, will be replaced by the newer models which allow for GPS tracking and better communication the Monmouth County dispatch centers as well as hospitals, Pasquariello said.

“We are extremely grateful to Ascend Insurance Brokerage, The Stone Pony, and Fireman’s Fund for this grant,” said Pasquariello.  “This generous donation helps to fill a critical void, providing us with equipment that enhances firefighter performance and safety, and enables us to better serve the community.”

All of the Asbury Park Fire Department’s 46 members are EMT trained. The paid fire department is supported by the municipality, which approved the purchase of vehicles via a City Council approved capital budget.

“This grant helps take pressure off the taxpayers,” Moor said.  “This is a well-deserved award.”

Founded in 1863, the Fireman’s Fund has distributed grants to over 2,100 organizations for life-saving equipment, firefighter training and community education programs, said Michael McGill, Allianz zone distribution leader.  The Fireman’s Fund is a member of the Allianz Group.

Since the establishment of its Heritage program in 2004, they have awarded more than $32 million grants, including $1.3 million in New Jersey alone.

The grants are directed to fire service organization by independent insurance agencies and brokers that sell Fireman’s Fund products, like Ascend Insurance Brokerage, headquartered in Dallas, who oversaw this grant.

“With limited budgets, fire departments are often prevented from purchasing equipment,” said Ascend president Paul Bassman. “This grant provides firefighters with a tool that allows them to respond more effectively and further ensure the safety of the community.”

To learn more about the grant program and other grants awarded in New Jersey, visit www.firemansfund.com/heritage.

[Photos courtesy of  Mike McLaughlin/Allianz]

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