Roundup for Safety awards grants

A Roundup for Safety grant of $972 will benefit the Northwest Montana Chapter of the Forest Fire Lookout Association, by providing them with Garmin radio devices and First Aid kits.

Volunteers with the group work on lookout projects in Glacier National Park, Flathead and Kootenai National Forests and on state lands with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Volunteer Deb Starling says the equipment will provide a safer experience for all concerned.

“The direct benefit is to the volunteers working on the projects who are doing active restoration, maintenance and/or condition assessments on the fire lookouts and associated buildings in Northwest Montana,” Starling said. “The volunteers participating come from many of the districts within Flathead Electric’s service territory. They will be able to have more communication if an emergency arises and have improved First Aid kits on site.”

Lookout volunteers travel hundreds of miles and put in hundreds of hours to work on projects that not only help firefighting efforts, but also preserve an important part of Montana history.

In addition to the funds awarded to the Lookout Association, Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety Board awarded grants for the following safety related community projects, bringing the total awarded at the July 12 meeting to $19,511:

- Peterson Elementary School: $550 for reflective vests, backpacks and First Aid kits;

- Northwest Montana Historical Society: $620 for fire protection sprinkler heads at the Museum at Central School;

- Badrock Fire and QRU: $8,000 for AED defibrillators;

- Whitefish Christian Academy: $3,020 for fencing and door security devices;

- Stumptown Art Studio: $1,349 for a HEPA vacuum upgrade; and

- Child Bridge: $5,000 for fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Roundup for Safety is a voluntary program for Flathead Electric Cooperative members who allow their electric bills to be rounded up to the next dollar, with the extra money going into a fund for community nonprofit safety projects. The Co-op is grateful to all who participate in enhancing the safety of our community. For additional information about the program, call Wendy Ostrom Price at 406-751-1820 or visit www.flatheadelectric.com/roundup.