Banks Fire District #13 in Banks. Photo: Brenda Schaffer
BANKS – Looking for a way to help your community — from the comfort of your own home — and perhaps save a life?
Banks Fire District 13 has put a call out to the general public to vote for the district in a nationwide grant program offered by State Farm Insurance called Neighborhood Assist.
With opportunities to vote up to 10 times a day per email address, community members are encouraged to ‘vote often vote early’ as the district seeks to rise to the top 40 out of 200 agencies seeking a $25,000 grant to purchase 20 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) to place throughout the district’s 136 square mile territory, which includes the city of Banks, Timber, Buxton, Manning, Hayward, and more.
The mostly volunteer force would also use funds to bolster their lifesaving efforts by offering free CPR and AED training to community members.
“As of now, the only documented AED site within our District is at our main fire station in Banks. Our community is in dire need of additional AEDs to be located around our district,” said Banks Fire District public information officer Mitch Ward in an email to the Banks Post.
Voting opened at 9 p.m. Tuesday, August 13 and will continue through August 23.
“We are very excited and feel fortunate to be the only Fire Department in Oregon who has made it this far in the grant process. We need as much support as we can get and would welcome any assistance you can provide in helping us help our community by getting this information out,” said Ward.
Chas Hundley is the editor of the Banks Post and sister news publications the Gales Creek Journal and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.
