Honeywell donates gear to Plymouth Fire Department

Plymouth Township Fire Chief Mark Wendel, left, thanks Honeywell Vice President Tony Schultz for the new fire gear while Congressman Kerry Bentivolio, right, looks on.

Jan, 2, 2014  PLYMOUTH EAGLE.

The Plymouth Township Fire Department was on the receiving end some much-needed gifts last week as executives from Honeywell Turbo Technologies presented them with specialized high performance gloves and boots.

The company, based in Plymouth, provided $8,000 worth of boots and gloves, enough to outfit the 12 remaining full-time firefighters in the department as part of the company Hometown Solutions program.

The Honeywell manufacturing technology division in Dayton, Ohio produces specialized products and gear for firefighters. With the Turbo Technologies division located in the township and part of the local business community, the company was asked to present the citizen- ship award on behalf of Honeywell’s Hometown Solutions community grant program.

Executives from Honeywell, Plymouth Township Supervisor, Richard Reaume, and Congressman Kerry Bentivolio presented the fire service gear to Fire Chief Mark Wendel in a ceremony at Fire Station 1 last Wednesday.

Wendel said he was very appreciative of the recognition by the Honeywell, and the gloves and boots, which he described as “high quality.”

In a July 19 private letter to Reaume, obtained through the Freedom of Information Act, Wendel outlined the dire condition of much of the current equipment used by the fire department. He expressed his concern for the safety of the firefighters and the public in light of the outdated equipment currently in use.

Reaume, who has had an adversarial relationship with the township fire department since downsizing staffing by 60 percent and implementing a 50 percent reduction in firefighters’ salaries through a retirement program last year, thanked Honeywell.

“The new equipment is very much appreciated and will be put to good use protecting the residents of Plymouth Township,” Reaume said. “On behalf of the township, I want to thank Honeywell for its support of our community.”

Tony Schultz, Honeywell vice president of the Americas said, “Honeywell wants to be known as a good corporate citizen and we feel that responsibility in the communities where we work and live.”

|News Plymouth Michigan