In an effort to enhance safety for its customers and employees throughout its central Maryland service area, BGE presented $310,000 in grants to 48 nonprofit safety and emergency preparedness, response and recovery organizations through the company’s Emergency Response & Safety Grant program.

Now in its third year, the program is designed specifically to support its partners. The program is a vital part of BGE’s continued commitment to supporting safety and reliability while enhancing the communities it serves.

Recently, BGE officials presented the grants to more than 60 representatives from the 2014 BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grant recipient organizations. Grant monies will be used to fund equipment, programs or services, such as thermal imaging cameras, rescue boat upgrades, disaster relief, K-9 safety search, rescue tools and heart defibrillators and training programs, among many others, that are critical to the safety of the communities BGE serves.

“BGE is committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety and reliability for our employees, our customers and the communities in which we live and work, and naturally we have a strong appreciation for the critically important role the volunteer emergency response and safety organizations play throughout the state of Maryland,” said Calvin Butler, Jr., CEO for BGE.

BGE launched the Emergency Response and Safety Grant program in early 2012 and has provided nearly $1 million to 129 nonprofit organizations since the program’s inception.

In addition to financial support, BGE offers complimentary electric and natural gas safety training to emergency responders through its White Marsh Utility Training Center. In 2014, BGE conducted 25 electric hazard awareness demonstrations for 700 participants from various fire, police, EMS, county agencies, local schools and community associations. BGE’s natural gas operations and safety personnel conducted 45 natural gas safety demonstrations at fire houses, county organizations and community associations across central Maryland for nearly 750 emergency responders.

“BGE is also proud of our employees who, in 2014, logged more than 2,500 volunteer hours, dedicated directly to safety and emergency response organizations, including volunteer fire, EMS organizations and search and rescue organizations,” said Butler.

Following is a list of the organizations that received a 2014 BGE Emergency Response and Safety Grant of up to $10,000.

Anne Arundel County

  • Anne Arundel Alarmers Association —Canteen Replacement
  • Arnold Volunteer Fire Department —Fire Extinguisher Training
  • Citizens Corps Council of Anne Arundel County — CERT Traffic Management
  • Ferndale Volunteer Fire Company —Rescue Tool Replacement
  • Glen Burnie Volunteer Fire Company — Thermal Imager and Gas Meter
  • Lake Shore Volunteer Fire Company —Utility Vehicle Equipment
  • Odenton Volunteer Fire Company —Replacement Tools
  • Orchard Beach Volunteer Fire Department — CPR Training
  • Southern Reserve Police Foundation —Reserve Officer Safety Initiative

Howard County

  • Civil Air Patrol — Search and Rescue Support
  • Ellicott City Historical District — District Safety Initiative
  • Lisbon Volunteer Fire Company — Thermal Imager