What may be a small drop in the bucket for the Iola Fire Department’s overall budget, will help ease the work of building inspectors and keep public buildings and businesses safer. EARLIER THIS year, the fire department was approved for a $147,000 grant from the federal government for Scott air packs. The air packs are used when firefighters enter a structure that is on fire. Leapheart said there are some delays with the paperwork, but the department is expecting funds for the packs soon.
Kayla Works, with FM Global, stopped by the fire department Tuesday morning to present emergency personnel with a $2,000 check, which will be used for a laptop with pre-planning software.
“It’ll make their (the inspectors) jobs a whole lot easier,” Fire Chief Donald Leapheart said of the software program.
The software helps lay out different public buildings — such as schools and hospitals — so the firefighters may map out access points, hydrants, truck parking and emergency exits. Currently, Leapheart said pre-planning is done manually on index cards and reports. This software will allow updated information as it is received, and help maintain a current emergency plan.
“We put all of this data in, and it allows us to be able to use it,” he said. “We try to look at our schools (and other public buildings) before there is ever an accident.”
The fire department has three inspectors, who are trained and certified by the state. They regularly check buildings in the city to make sure they are safe and up to code.
“We take so much into consideration,” Leapheart said. “There are a lot of things that go on with this.”
He said while the cost is small, it saves some of the department’s general fund revenue, raised through property taxes.
FM Global is a national commercial property insurer based out of Rhode Island. It has a regional office in Kansas City.
IFD receives grant funding
