Fire Department to use donation for rescue equipment

By Randy Bell

Special to The Clinton Courier
Pictured (l to r) are, front row: Clinton Fire Chief Jeff Blackledge, Stacey Thornton, Amanda Pennington, Cara Williams, Rachel Lantz and Kimberly Purdie; and back row: Alderman Jim Martin, Alderwoman-at-Large Ricki Garrett, Alderwoman Karen Godfrey, Mayor Phil Fisher, Alderman Robert Chapman, Alderman Chip Wilbanks and Alderman James Lott.

The Clinton Fire Department will use money raised at the Junior Civic League’s February gala to expand its rescue capabilities. Fire Chief Jeff Blackledge accepted a $15,000 donation at the Board of Aldermen meeting April 18 and said it will pay for a battery-powered version of a hydraulic tool known as the Jaws of Life.

“The Jaws unit we carry on our trucks now is limited to the length of the hydraulic hoses,” Blackledge said in an email. “They have to be hooked up to a power source, making extrication difficult when the accident scene is off the roadway. The new Jaws of Life bring with them new technology, lighter weight and more torque to get the job done.”

Blackledge said the new tool weighs about fifty-three pounds, while the old one, combined with the hoses and power source, is almost twice as heavy. The new device features a watertight design, allowing its use in up to twenty feet of water to rescue victims from submerged vehicles.

“Every year, the Junior Civic League puts on a gala,” said the group’s president, Cara Williams. “Our beneficiary is different every year. We try to pick something that is important to the community, impactful.” She said the money was raised with a silent auction and a drawdown. “We are able to not only pay for the gala and all the costs, but make a profit and turn that into money for the City.”

Williams’ husband, Jeff, is a captain with the Clinton Fire Department, and she said the CFD is dear to her heart.

“They do so much for our City, more than what I think a lot of our people actually realize that they do,” said Williams. “They don’t just fight fires.”

“Being able to upgrade the equipment and emergency services we provide to our community with this donation is more than appreciated,” Blackledge said. “Having organizations and individuals coming forward with donations for such things gives us the resources needed to better our department, which, in turn, betters our city.”

The Clinton Fire Department will use the donation to purchase a new Jaws of Life device.