​BALTIMORE (April 3, 2018) – BGE today awarded $310,000 in BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grants to 75 area nonprofit organizations at a ceremony held at Stevenson University. The grant recipients are located throughout the BGE service area in nine Maryland counties and Baltimore City and this year included 24 first-time grant recipients.

"At BGE, there is nothing more important than the safety of our employees and customers.  We appreciate deeply the critical role played by organizations focused on public safety and emergency response in our communities," said Alexander Núñez, senior vice president of regulatory and external affairs for BGE. "We are grateful for the partnerships we have with organizations that share our commitment to safety."​

BGE's Emergency Response and Safety Grant program, now in its sixth year, supports area nonprofits by providing strategic funding that enables the success of their emergency response and safety programs.  Some of this year's grants will assist agencies in purchasing vital equipment, such as thermal imaging cameras, smoke alarms, CPR devices and funding for emergency preparedness drills and equipment. Over the last six years, BGE's program has provided nearly $2 million to 333 nonprofit organizations who share BGE's commitment to the safety of central Maryland residents. 

The following is a list of the organizations awarded with a BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grant this year:

Anne Arundel County:

• Anne Arundel Alarmers — Emergency Communication Equipment
• Anne Arundel County and Annapolis Community Emergency Response Team —Traffic Management
• Arnold Volunteer Fire Department — Emergency Communication Equipment
• Arundel Volunteer Fire Department — Rescue Squad Mobile Radio Installation
• Boys & Girls Club of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County—Security Cameras
• Ferndale Volunteer Fire Company — Portable Radio Replacement
• Historic Annapolis Foundation — Emergency Action Plan
• Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company — Automated External Defibrillators (AED's)
• Orchard Beach Volunteer Fire Company — Engine Hose
• Southern Police Reserves Foundation — Reserve Officer Equipment and Safety Initiative
• St. John's College — Classroom Lock Project

Baltimore City:

• Baltimore City Foundation — Youth Fire and Line Safety Summer Camp
• Flight 1 Carriers — Engaging Senior Residents in Emergency Management Services
• Locust Point Civic Association — Security Light Installation for Seniors

• National Fallen Firefighters Foundation — Smoke Detectors
• Patterson Park Public Charter — School and Community Safety
• Peale Center for Baltimore History and Architecture — Gas Light History and Safety Exhibit

Baltimore County:

• American Red Cross Central Maryland Chapter—Home Fire Campaign

• Arbutus Volunteer Fire Department — Foam Educator and Blitz Fire Monitor
• Baltimore County Police Foundation — K-9 Search and Rescue Operation and Thermal Imaging Project
• Chesapeake Search Dogs — Search Safety Equipment and K-9 Safety Precautions
• Chestnut Ridge Volunteer Fire Company — Enhanced Entrapment and Extrication Tools
• Civil Air Patrol — Mobile Command Tent
• Cockeysville Volunteer Fire Company — Infrared Camera Project
• Essex Volunteer Fire Company — Hose Line Replacement
• Glyndon Volunteer Fire Engine and Hose Company No. 1 — LUCAS CPR Device
• Hereford Volunteer Fire Company — Equipment Package
• Lansdowne Volunteer Fire Association — Fire Safety and Prevention Awareness Day
• Long Green Volunteer Fire Company — Thermal Imaging Camera
• Loyola University Maryland — Confined Space Equipment and Topographic Survey
• Lutherville Volunteer Fire Company — Headset and Intercom Communication System
• Maryland Line Fire Protective Association — Engine Light Replacement
• Middle River Volunteer Fire Company — Toxic Gas Removal and Rehabilitation Fan
• Northpoint Edgemere Volunteer Fire Department — Upgraded Marine Electronics
• Pikesville Volunteer Fire Company — Confined Space Rescue Equipment
• Rosedale Volunteer Fire Company — Thermal Imaging Camera Replacement
• Sinai Hospital of Baltimore — Bystander Emergency Bleeding Training
• Stevenson University — Emergency Phones for the Owings Mills Campus
• Towson University Foundation — Disaster Preparedness Through Commercial Partnering
• White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company — Hydraulic Rescue Tools
• Wise Avenue Volunteer Fire Company — Safety and Operational Readiness

Carroll County:

• Humane Society of Carroll County — Animal Disaster Response Team
• Lineboro Volunteer Fire Department — Brush Truck
• Maryland Dare Officers Association — Single Officer Response to Active Threat Training
• New Windsor Fire & Hose Company #1 — Paratech Rescue Struts
• Westminster Fire Engine & Hose Company #1 — Replacement Hose Nozzles

Cecil County:

• Community Fire Department of Perryville — LUCAS CPR Device
• Community Fire Department of Rising Sun Inc. — Supply Hose Appliances
• Water Witch Fire Company — Replacement Fire Suppression Turnout Gear

Frederick County:

• Western Maryland K-9 Search & Rescue — Training Library

Harford County:

• Abingdon Fire Company — EMS Turnout Gear
• Association of the Volunteer Fire and Emergency Medical Services of Harford County — Rescue Task Force
• Boys & Girls Club of Harford County — Security Camera Purchase and Installation
• Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance Company — Replacement Emergency Medical Equipment
• Jarrettsville Volunteer Fire Company — Thermal Imager
• Joppa-Magnolia Volunteer Fire Company — LUCAS CPR Device
• Level Volunteer Fire Company — Child Safety Restraints for Emergency Transport
• Mason-Dixon Rescue Dogs — Specialized K-9 Handler Education
• Norrisville Volunteer Fire Company — High Visibility Safety Jackets
• Susquehanna Hose Company — Gas Monitors
• Witeford Volunteer Fire Company — Replacement LED Hand Lights

Howard County:

• Atholton Adventist Academy —  Emergency Communication System and Portable Radios
• Ellicott City Volunteer Firemen's Association — Rescue and Extrication Safety Gear
• Howard EcoWorks — Stream Channel Condition Monitoring Cameras
• Howard County Fire and Rescue Auxiliary — Project SAFE (Smoke Alarms For Everyone)

• International Critical Incident Stress Foundation — Crisis Intervention Training
• Maryland Search and Rescue — Wilderness EMS Capability Expansion
• Volunteers of America Chesapeake — Community Resource Center Emergency Preparedness

• Winfield Community Volunteer Fire Department — Multi-Gas Meters

Montgomery County:

• Montgomery Amateur Radio Club Inc — Emergency Radio Mast

Prince George's County:

• Disaster Aid USA Inc. — Disaster Response Preparedness
• Kentland Volunteer Fire Department—Personal Protective Equipment Dryer
• Laurel Volunteer Rescue Squad — Gas Meters and Battery Powered Tools
• Prince George's County Fire Chiefs Community Advisory Council — Public Safety and Community Education Project

In addition to supporting the emergency responder community in Maryland, BGE provides training for fire, police, 911 centers and emergency management organizations who routinely work around utility equipment.  BGE is recognized for its own emergency response record, ranking among the top utilities in the nation for rapid response to gas emergency calls and for preventing damages to energy equipment. 

BGE works within Maryland's communities to address economic development, public safety, civic issues and contributes to strategic initiatives that help enhance our neighborhoods. Through the use of shareholder dollars, BGE supports programs that deliver measurable and sustainable impact in areas of education, environment, community development and arts and culture.

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BGE, founded in 1816 as the nation's first gas utility and headquartered in Baltimore, is Maryland's largest natural gas and electric utility. The company's approximately 3,200 employees are committed to safe and reliable power delivery to more than 1.25 million electric customers and more than 650,000 natural gas customers in central Maryland, as well as enhanced energy management, conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. J.D. Power's 2017 Electric Utility Business Customer Satisfaction Study ^SM ranked BGE highest in customer satisfaction with business electric service in the east among large utilities. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $5 billion of output in its service area, supporting more than 9,500 local jobs and producing $923 million in labor income. BGE is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's leading competitive energy provider. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter, YouTube  and Flickr.