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Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation aids Memorial Villages Fire Department
By CARISSA D. LAMKOUHAN CHRONICLE CORRESPONDENT
Nov. 25, 2008, 11:27AM
Thanks to a grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to fund the donation of two laptop computers, the Memorial Villages Fire Department will be able to more quickly and efficiently respond to emergencies and access valuable information to fight fires.
Fire Chief Anthony Calagna accepted the computers, worth about $6,000 each, at a ceremony on Nov. 19 at the Firehouse Subs restaurant in Hedwig Village. He said the department will mount the laptops in the department’s trucks where firefighters will be able to access routing information and other specific data the fire department collects concerning buildings such as electrical cutoffs, exits and entrances and stairways.
“In the past we’ve kept (that information) in the alarm room at the station and a dispatcher would have to relay the information to us, but now we take it on the road with us,” said Calagna.
He said this allows fireman to more quickly get to the scene of a fire and better gauge how to fight it.
The computers will also be equipped with an accountability program which will alert the firefighters should one of their fellow fireman stop moving while in the line of duty.
“There’s a devise on each firefighter that sounds an alarm on the computer when he stops moving,” said Calagna.
The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by fireman Robin and Chris Sorensen. The foundation is linked to Firehouse Subs, also started by the Sorensens, and provides funding, resources and support to public safety organizations in those areas serviced by Firehouse Subs. Money is collected through several programs including donations and sales of the restaurant’s five-gallon buckets of their signature pickles. The Echo Lane Firehouse Subs restaurant, located at 9359 Katy Freeway, opened earlier in the year.
Chief Calagna said he approached the restaurant after he found out it was established by fireman and offered the grant program.
“We requested the computers to put on the trucks, and they were quite generous,” he said.
Mike McCown, who owns the Echo Lane Firehouse Subs restaurant, said he was happy to contribute to the community.
“We appreciate the tremendous support our restaurant has received from the residents of Houston for our business, as well as the Public Safety Foundation,” he said.
“The laptops for the fire department gave us with the opportunity to show our gratitude by supporting our local fire department, which will in turn, help save lives and protect the community.”
Village FD Ladder 1 assisted Houston FD with 2-Alarm Fire on Saturday 11/8/2008
Two-alarm blaze engulfs west Houston recycling center
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
Nov. 8, 2008, 3:19PM
Black smoke that could be seen for miles billowed from an outdoor recycling center in west Houston this afternoon.
Jack Williams, spokesman for the Houston Fire Department, said tightly bound paper products being stored at the Greenstar plant, 1200 Brittmore, caught fire at 1:15 p.m.
"It's like a big trash fire — a lot of heat and real difficult to put out," Williams said.
Fifty to 75 firefighters were battling the two-alarm blaze near Town.& Country Commerce Park at Brittmore and Westview.
No injuries were reported.
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