The Gamber & Community Fire Co. under the direction of Chief Charlie Green and through the hard work of Fire Prevention Chairperson Bridget Weishaar was recently awarded a $1000.00 grant for the purchase of new ten-year sealed unit smoke alarms.

The grant was competitively awarded by The Grassroots Injury Prevention Support Program, a short term project funded by the Partnership for a Safer Maryland in conjunction with Maryland’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

These funds were made available as part of the response to the CDC’s (Center for Disease Control) strategic initiative and the Partnership for a Safer Maryland’s strategic plan. Projects were selected on a competitive basis, with priority given to proposals that assist the Partnership fulfill its vision of a safer Maryland with fewer injuries.

The Grassroots Injury Prevention Support Program’s Mission: Advocate for injury and violence prevention and promote education and surveillance in Maryland through statewide partnerships. Its vision: Reduce death and disability associated with injury and violence.

This program aims to reach grassroots communities where they need support most, and provides funds for immediate injury prevention and safety needs throughout the State of Maryland. The Partnership awarded proposals between $500 and $2,000 to support communities in obtaining injury prevention supplies such as child seats, safety latches, smoke detectors, etc… and educational materials for public use. The awardees were competitively selected from across the State, and a total of $12,000 was available for this new program.

The grant award allowed Gamber to purchase 66 Kidde i9010 10-Year Sealed Lithium Battery-Operated Smoke Alarms. The fire company will distribute them free of charge in the community during neighborhood sweeps this fall.