Photo caption: Members of the Mebane Fire Department, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department, Congressman Mark Walker, and representatives from the City of Mebane and Piedmont Electric gather to celebrate the closing of $468,330 in zero-interest loans to the Mebane Fire Department. (List of attendees from left to right at bottom.)
Mebane, NC (August 8, 2017) – The Mebane Fire Department received a $468,330 zero-interest loan from Piedmont Electric Membership Corporation to help pay for a new fire truck.
The department was in need of a larger, first-out fire truck to replace their 1992 Pierce engine. A first-out fire truck is the first to leave the fire station when an emergency call comes in, and it must be reliable, properly equipped and safe to operate.
“We respond to approximately 2,600 emergency calls per year,” Chief Bob Louis stated. “This new first-out engine will improve our ability to protect the increasing population in our fire district.”
In a district that is growing at almost 1,000 new residents a year, there comes an increased demand for public safety services. This new fire truck will allow the Mebane Fire Department to meet that demand and maintain their Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating. This ISO rating helps determine insurance rates for homeowners in the area. A lower ISO rating means lower homeowners insurance rates.
Not only will this new fire truck help the City of Mebane, but also their rural community. The City of Mebane will be paying it forward by donating their 1992 Pierce engine to the North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department (NEAVFD).
“This engine from the Mebane Fire Department will improve our response time and help us better serve Pleasant Grove and the North Eastern Alamance fire district,” NEAVFD Chief Donnie West expressed. “We greatly appreciate Mebane’s donation and support.”
The funds for the Mebane Fire Department’s new truck were loaned by Piedmont Electric as part of the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program. The program provides zero-interest funds to local electric cooperatives who in turn lend the money to local entities for projects that support rural areas. This is the third fire truck that The City of Mebane Fire Department has purchased using the REDLG program from the cooperative.
“We are always proud when we can support a project that improves one of our communities,” said Steve Hamlin, Piedmont Electric President and CEO. “Working with fire departments gives us the unique opportunity to invest in economic development in our service area while also making our community a safer place to live.”
In the past four years, Piedmont Electric has loaned more than $6.7 million within Durham, Person, Alamance, Caswell and Orange counties for fire trucks, fire stations, ambulances and schools. As the funds are repaid they are re-loaned to assist with future projects in communities served by Piedmont Electric.
Piedmont Electric is a local, member-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperative serving more than 31,000 electric accounts in Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Granville, Orange and Person counties. Piedmont Electric exists to serve our members and improve the quality of life in our communities through local employment, economic development, business engagement, youth education, grants to educators, advocacy for energy issues, community involvement and emergency preparedness support. Visit www.pemc.coop for more information.
Attendees in photo from left to right:
Chief Donnie West, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department
Kenneth Talley, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter
Gene Anderson, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter/Board Secretary
Charlie Wyatt, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department Board Chairman
Congressman Mark Walker
James Roney, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department Firefighter/Board Treasurer
Steven Warren, North Eastern Alamance Volunteer Fire Department Deputy Chief
David Poythress, Piedmont Electric Board of Directors
Steve Hamlin, President and CEO of Piedmont Electric
Stephen Long, Piedmont Electric Board of Directors
Cy Vernon, Piedmont Electric Board of Directors
Sam Woods, Piedmont Electric Board of Directors
Tim Bradley, Mebane Councilmember
Jill Auditori, Mebane Councilmember
Ed Hook, Mebane Mayor Pro-Tem
Randy Kinley, Piedmont Electric Board of Directors
Chief Bob Louis, Mebane Fire Department
Jennifer Livers, Mebane Fire Department Fire and Life Safety Educator
David Cheek, Mebane City Manager
Susan Cashion, Vice President at Piedmont Electric