Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation held a luncheon yesterday to celebrate awarding $266,513 worth of lifesaving equipment grants to first responders in the greater Detroit area and the Oak Park Public Safety Department was the recipient of $28,000 of that total. Public Safety Director Steve Cooper, Deputy Director Mike Pinkerton, and Lieutenant Shawn Tetler were joined by City administration, including City Manager Erik Tungate.

The Department applied the Oak Park award to the purchase if a Hurst cutter, spreader and ram package with accessories and rescue tool mounts. The equipment is used to extricate individuals from vehicles more efficiently when seconds count. One of the many advantages of the equipment is the ability to use the equipment faster and more efficiently. The Department's older extrication equipment required the fire trucks to be positioned in close proximity to the life-saving efforts in order to use. Not so, with the new technology.

The event was held at the Michigan Firehouse Museum and Education Center in Ypsilanti where representatives from the Foundation, Firehouse Sub franchise owners, and equipment vendors like Hurst Jaws of Life participated. The Museum has an eclectic collection of historic firefighting memorabilia.

The Foundation, who receives 70 percent of their donations from the change the public leaves in donation jars at Firehouse Subs stores across the nation, has awarded over $35 million to over 3,500 first responders the Foundation was established in 2005.

The idea to create a foundation to assist first responders originated from a trip the Firehouse Sub owners took to help provide food for those surviving Katrina.

For more information on the event and the award, visit http://bit.ly/OPFirehouseSub.

Thank you, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation and their partners for this wonderful award! And, thank you Crystal McLain, Director of Special Events and Strategic Planning and Colton Dale, an intern in the Department of Economic Development and Communications Department, for applying for the grant. Grants and awards help the City to fund operations and equipment without taxing the City's general fund.