United Way assists Office for the Aging with securing fire extinguishers, smoke detectors
Provided photos: Shown with 30 bags of fire safety products presented by United Way to Orleans County Office for the Aging on Friday are, from left, Nyla Gaylord, executive director of United Way; Samantha Koons, Aging Services specialist at Orleans County OFA; and Meghan Bevins, assistant director of the OFA.
Volunteers at United Way’s Day of Caring on Friday packed 45 bags containing fire protection and prevention items purchased with a grant from Heritage Wind. From left are Kathleen Bates with the Orleans County Office for the Aging; and volunteers from Takeform, Ellen Eaton and Jim Waters.
ALBION – A recent string of house fires in Orleans County has prompted United Way of Orleans County to apply for (and receive) a $3,000 grant from Heritage Wind to purchase fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.
“We wanted to make sure the most vulnerable segment of the population – the aging and disabled – are protected,” said Nyla Gaylord, executive director of United Way of Orleans County. “Office for the Aging staff have voiced concerns that many older adults are lacking basic fire protection products, such as fire extinguishers and smoke detectors, because they can’t easily afford them.”
On Friday, during United Way’s annual Day of Caring, Gaylord and volunteers from Takeform delivered 30 of 45 bags with fire protection and prevention items to the Office for the Aging.
Ellen Eaton, Human Resources director at Takeform, and Jim Waters unpacked 10 boxes of products and organized and assembled the bags, Gaylord said.
Each bag contained a smoke alarm, a CO2 alarm, a fire extinguisher and a fire extinguishing blanket. The remaining bags will be donated to Adult Protective workers.
