Providence VFD Recent News Page

May 21, 2008 - SAFETY ALERT - Methamphetamine cooks have found a new way to cook the drug using anhyrous ammonia and storing it in the same propane tanks used for grilling or camping. They are obtaining propane tanks from various locations, and emptying them of the propane gas. Then they fill the propane tanks with anhydrous ammonia, which they now have a recipe to cook Methamphetamine with. After they are finished with the propane tanks, they return them to the store. The stores refill the tanks with propane gas, unknowing to them the improper substance that was inserted in the tanks and sell them to their consumers.  Anhydrous ammonia is very corrosive and weakens the structure of the tank.  It can be very dangerous when mixed with propane gas and hooked
up to a grill, recreation vehicle, etc. You should inspect the propane tank for any blue or greenish residue around the valve areas.  If there are evidences of these substances, do not purchase the propane tank and advise the vendor of your findings. The information was researched, and you should check out the following website  for more details. They also have pictures for you to view.
http://www.npga.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=529  

May 19, 2008 - Providence VFD has been awarded a second Heritage Grant from Fireman's Fund Insurance Company. This Grant was possible in part by Fireman's Fund and the local office of Wachovia Insurance Services. This grant is in the amount of $8,175 and will provide a Bullard T3 thermal imaging camera, T3 truck charging mount and T3 attachable handle to the department. This brings our number of Thermal Imaging Cameras to two and further allows our front line engine companies to operate independently of each other. Our deepest thanks go out to Fireman's Fund Insurance and the Heritage Grant Program and Wachovia Insurance Services for making this grant possible and supporting firefighters in the community and across the country.

September 10, 2007 – Weddington Town Council agrees to fund weekend staffing for Providence VFD. The Weddington Town Council unanimously agreed to provide financial support to Providence VFD extending the current weekday staffing levels to weekends as well. Providence VFD is now staffed by three firefighters from 6:00 am until 6:00 pm every day of the week. Night time hours are still covered by volunteers some of which are pulling duty shifts at the station during night time hours ensuring a prompt and timely response.

September 6, 2007 – Providence VFD along with several other local fire departments; was presented with a set of Pet Oxygen Masks. These masks were presented through a partnership between the Charlotte Chapter of the American Payroll Association and Best Friends Pet Care in Pineville, NC. These masks can be connected to the standard oxygen tanks that all fire departments carry in EMS bags and can be applied to a dog, cat or several other species of pet after being rescued from a fire. More than 2,500 sets of these masks have been distributed across the country by Best Friends Pet Care, a kennel company that established a "Cause for Paws" campaign in 2004 that encourages donations by pet lovers and then matches those donations to buy masks for fire departments. These masks are carried on our front line engine company and will allow Providence to hopefully resuscitate family pets that may get trapped in a fire. Other local departments presented pet masks: Waxhaw VFD, Matthews VFD, Monroe FD, Charlotte FD, Rock Hill FD, Gastonia FD and Tega Cay Rescue Squad.

August 29, 2007 – Providence VFD was presented a grant from Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and the local office of Edwards, Church and Muse, Inc. in the amount of $6,301.00. This grant was made possible through the Fireman's Fund Heritage Grant Program. Thanks to this grant, Providence was able to purchase two ventilation saws (one circular, one chain) to be placed on E-321. This allows us to have a full set of saws on each engine company allowing them to function independently of each other at separate fire scenes. We also purchased a Hurst Mini Cutter to be used in vehicle extrication when working in tight areas; and a Paratech Vehicle Stabilization Kit to be used in rapidly stabilizing overturned vehicles. Our deepest thanks go out to Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and Edwards, Church and Muse, Inc. in making this grant possible and supporting firefighters in the community and across the country. View the official press release here.