Greencastle Fire Department benefits from nonprofit community association. 

   How can a small-town, government-funded fire department raise money for needed equipment and projects without raising taxes or devoting valuable man-hours to fundraising? One Indiana department has found an ingenious solution.

   Because the Greencastle Fire Department (GFD) is 100 percent tax-based; it's ineligible for many of the lucrative grants available to nonprofit departments. So Chief Bill Newgent and several community leaders got together and formed the Friends of the GFD Inc., which raises money for the department. As a 501c3 corporation, the Friends can apply for and receive grants available to nonprofit organizations for improving their community and their fire department. On behalf of the fire department, the Friends write grant proposals, organize and run fundraisers, and solicit local donations. They turn all monies over to the GFD for specific projects and equipment.

   But the Friends of the GFD focuses on more than just money. "The group is not just about funding," says Newgent. "Their mission is really fire prevention and education, and they've really raised awareness of the fire department in the community."

WHO ARE THE FRIENDS?

   The Friends of the GFD was formed in the spring of2001 and is comprised of people in the community who want to increase awareness of the fire department. Members of the Friends include the city's mayor and clerk, treasurer, a minister, the president of DePauw University and other community leaders and business people.

   "Our monthly meetings average eight or nine people," says Lou Fontaine, president of the Friends of the GFD, "but we have about 30 members on our rolls."

   Greencastle is located in central Indiana and has a population of about 12,000, not counting the DePauw University student body.  The GFD employs 17 full-time firefighters 1 building inspector 1 building/safety officer 4 part time firefighters and 12 volunteers, and averages 750 runs a year.

TAKING FUNDRAISING TO A NEW LEVEL

     One of the first and most important tasks the Friends of the GFD accomplished was gathering money for a new safe house, or fire-education house for the department. The safe house, a trailer large enough to seat a small audience, is used to educate children, adults and the elderly about fire safety. Participants enter the trailer and get instruction on what will happen and how to react. Then, as they're seated, the trailer fills with smoke and they have to follow The GFD uses the safe house to train the Community on fire-safety issues. Instructions to find their way out. The GFD takes the trailer to local schools and community events, and makes it available to other county fire departments.

   "We raised a sizeable amount of money for the house," says Fontaine, "mostly by a local grant, money from the university, donations from sororities and private donations. We also solicited smaller items, like a TV for the house, from local businesses." Newgent is impressed with the speed by which the Friends raised the estimated $50,000 for the safe house. "It only took them six months to raise the money," he says.

   In addition to the safe house, Friends of the GFD has raised and turned over $9,000 for a new thermal-imaging camera, and sponsored a project that allowed the department to make their own professional, 30-minute video on fire prevention. "It cost $3,000, and it was worth every dime," says Newgent. "We use it at schools, and they play it on our local cable-access channel. It gets a lot of attention because it was filmed with our own firefighters and local kids."  The Friends recently sent out a fundraising letter to members of the Greencastle Chamber of Commerce. "We raised $15,000 just on that mailing," says Fontaine. There is plenty more fundraising to do: "Bill has a wish list that's kind of long," adds Fontaine.

MAKE YOUR OWN FRIENDS

  If a fire department wants to create its own "Friends," Newgent recommends taking a close look at the community. When they started the Friends of the GFD, Newgent, Fontaine and others approached a broad range of people. "We looked at a cross-section of the whole community," says Newgent. "Churches, local industry, education, even small businesses, retailers, as well as private citizens. We sent letters out, and when we called our first meeting in city hall, there were 25 people there. It was terrific, and the organization has been strong ever since.

If you'd like to find out more about how to start a community support group, contact Newgent or Fontaine through the GFD at 765/653-3108.