Winchester Fire-EMS fire investigation awarded grant
Published 9:23 am Thursday, May 17, 2018
- Michael Watts of FM Global Mutual Insurance presents a plaque and a grant to Winchester Fire-EMS for fire investigation equipment. Accepting the grant are, from left, Chief Cathy Rigney, firefighter Joe Wheeling, firefighter Jonathan Beam and Fire Marshal Gary Henry. (Photo by Fred Petke)
Winchester Fire-EMS recently got a financial boost for its fire investigation division.
The department was awarded a $2,077 grant from FM Global, an insurance company with an office in Lexington. The company offers grants every year, but departments that receive a grant can not receive another for three years, Winchester Fire-EMS firefighter Jonathan Beam said.
The funds will be used to purchase equipment to use in investigation scenes including items for evidence storage, identifying evidence and a device to detect the presence of accelerants at the scene, Beam said.
“What we’re trying to do is revamp the fire investigation division,” Beam said. “We wouldn’t be able to get this without the grant.”