Supporting First Responders with the Peoples S.A.F.E. Program
Learn more about how we're helping local fire departments across our region.
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We're proud to announce that the Youngstown Volunteer Fire Department was the first recipient of a $2,500 donation through our S.A.F.E. program.
Here at Peoples, we are always working to keep our customers and their communities safe. Whether it’s staying warm during the winter or educating on pipeline safety, we’re here to serve you. We also want to recognize the other people in your community who serve you, too: firefighters.
That’s why earlier this year we launched a new program called “S.A.F.E.: Sharing Appreciation for Fire Department Excellence.” We started S.A.F.E. to show our appreciation and support for the tireless work that volunteer fire departments do to keep your community safe. These people risk their lives daily to protect the residents of their communities, and for that we are extremely grateful. We often find ourselves working alongside these brave men and women to respond to emergency situations. In fact, many Peoples employees are firefighters themselves!
As part of the S.A.F.E. program, Peoples will be making a monthly donation of $2,500 to a qualifying volunteer fire department in our service territory. To be eligible, departments must first be nominated by a Peoples employee and then fill out an application detailing how they will use the donation to benefit the department. After that, Peoples will select a deserving fire department to receive the donation each month.
For our first donation, we let our followers pick the winning department. We created a #SharetheLove poll on our Twitter page on Valentine’s Day, asking our followers to vote for the fire department that they thought should receive the donation. Over 550 voters chose between the four nominated fire departments—Burrell Township, North Irwin, Youngstown, and Worthington/West Franklin. When the poll closed, the Youngstown Volunteer Fire Department (YVFD) was the winner!
After announcing the winning fire department, we spoke with Ashley Guidos, a 10-year firefighter at the YVFD and also a Peoples employee.
“When opportunities like this present themselves, we are very thankful,” she said. “The fact that it was competitive and we won makes it even more exciting and special. We appreciate the opportunity and Peoples’ interest in the fire service through the S.A.F.E. Program and the YVFD.”
Ashley went on to say that the donation will go a long way towards funding new equipment for the department, such as gas and carbon monoxide monitors. These small but vital purchases will help the YVFD to better serve their communities in a big way.
“I’d like to thank each and every firefighter for their courage, service, and dedication! If it wasn't for the support of our community, family, and friends we couldn't do what we do,” Ashley said. “I hope YVFD is the first of many other departments to receive this award.”