ELIZABETHTOWN — Elizabethtown is donating more than $6,000 worth of materials to Bladen County agencies.
During the Elizabethtown Town Council monthly meeting, the board heard requests for multiple items — five industrial propane heaters, 31 airpacks from the fire department, and a paint booth — to be declared surplus. The majority of the items were suggested by staff to be donated to agencies within the Mother County.
The town of White Lake will be getting some airpacks, thanks to the Elizabethtown Fire Department. When the latter received a grant last year, it purchased all new airpacks. Since the units have a limited number of recertifications or cycles for which they can be used, the department is disposing of 31 Scott units that Fire Chief Nick West said would be obsolete without refurbishing.
Once the surplus was made known, requests were received for the old models.
“We continue to strive to deliver quality firefighters to the fire departments in not only our area but also surrounding career departments as well,” said East Bladen High School Fire Academy Chief Tim Tatum. “To do this, we are always looking to improve the training equipment have for the cadets to train with … We could put them to use in both of our academies.”
To be split evenly between the fire academies at East Bladen and West Bladen will be 30 Scott models that include harness, regulator and back plate, air bottle, and mask.
The final unit will be donated to the White Lake Police Department for use with investigating clandestine drug laboratories, according to White Lake Police Lt. Mike Salmon.
“I want to thank Elizabethtown on behalf of White Lake,” commented White Lake Mayor Goldston Womble. “We appreciate the donation very much and … always stand ready to help Elizabethtown any way we can.”
Each airpack is a 2002 or later model andis valued at $95, making the total airpack donation $2,375.
An Elizabethtown school will be the recipient of Elizabethtown’s surplus as well. Two of the five heaters will be given to Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy for use in its gymnasium. Both units are 1990 Reznor models with approximately 100,000 BTU, each valued at approximately $200.
“I’m especially excited about the donation to Paul R. Brown,” said Elizabethtown Mayor Sylvia Campbell. “We know they had started a fund to buy heaters for that building, so we’re very grateful we can help them out. I see this as a win/win.”
The heaters come from the old Chevrolet dealership building, which the town is renovating for use as a fire/rescue facility.
During the remodeling, Elizabethtown also came across a paint booth. Valued at approximately $3,500, the unit — used in auto finishing — sparked a conversation with Bladen Community College representatives about the possibility of a new program there.
“We’ve talked to BCC about starting an auto program,” Assistant Town Manager Pat DeVane informed the board. “The unit would be theirs if they so desire.”
DeVane added no final decision has been reached about it yet, and if the program doesn’t pan out, the town will sell the booth on a government surplus website.
Council approved the donations, as well as the selling of the remaining three heaters.
Chrysta Carroll can be reached by calling 910-862-4163 or emailing ccarroll@bladenjournal.com.
