Alcoa gives $8,300 to GFD

Chris Ruff, manager of the Alcoa plant in Gaffney, presents Gaffney Mayor Henry Jolly with a $8,300 donation to the Gaffney Fire Department. Representing the Gaffney Fire Department are (from left) Fire Inspector Nathan Ellis, Lt. Wayne Brown, (Jolly, Ruff) engineer Jamie Wylie and firefighter Ben Baker. Alcoa has donated $8,300 to the Gaffney Fire Department for the purchase of a thermal imaging camera.

“The thermal imaging camera helps us not only find people in a fire, but also helps us find people who are lost in the woods, hot spots, and extensions of fire,” said Chief Steve Blanton. “This will improve our ability to do our job.”

The department has one thermal imaging camera, which is kept at the main station on Limestone Street. The new device will be kept at the East Gaffney station on Cherokee Avenue.

The department will actively pursue funding for a third camera for the Overbrook Drive station.

The thermal imaging camera costs the fire department $11,500. Other businesses contributing to the purchase of the device are Upstate Carolina Medical Center, Broad River Electric, Nestle’, and Wal-Mart.

“We are extremely grateful for the support of the businesses that made this possible,” Blanton said.

Alcoa annually awards grant money to each of the areas where its plants are located. This year, Alcoa allocated $19,300 to its Gaffney plant for disbursement throughout the community.