NextEra presents $30K to Bruceton Brandonville VFD

BRUCETON MILLS - NextEra Energy Transmission MidAtlantic presented a $30,000 grant to the Bruceton Brandonville Volunteer Fire Department Wednesday afternoon to help the VFD buy life-saving extraction equipment.

VFD Chief John Vincent said the money will go toward a set of battery-operated Hurst brand Jaws of Life, a set of battery-operated TNT Rescue extrication tools and the batteries for the equipment.

VFD Vice President Melissa Kent, who is responsible for VFD fundraising, said during the presentation ceremony, "This is a huge chunk of change for us. It allows the firefighters to do more training and less fundraising, and for that we are extremely grateful, and even more grateful that their jobs will be easier with the updated equipment."

Kaitlin McCormick, NextEra project execution team senior director, told The Dominion Post before the ceremony, "We like to be a good neighbor and a partner in all the communities where we have projects that we’re working on." They identified an opportunity to support the VFD with the donation for the extraction equipment. "We’re proud to support those who are on the scene saving lives and supporting the community here."

About 58.9 miles of Next Era’s 107.5-mile, 500 kilovolt MidAtlantic Resiliency Link transmission line project are planned to cross West Virginia: 5.9 miles across Monongalia County, 15.8 across Preston, 10.9 across Mineral and 26.2 across Hampshire.

The project has faced significant opposition from the public and elected officials in the state, and McCormick responded about the grant in the context of that opposition.

She said, "We do these to make sure we are standing behind what we continue to say all the time: That it’s important for us to be a good neighbor, to be a community supporter and to make a difference, and supporting emergency response, life-saving equipment, workforce development, some education. We’re continually looking for opportunities through our foundation and through our projects to be a good neighbor and partner and to support those initiatives."

McCormick shared her own story of some relatives who were recently in a serious car accident and needed to be extracted. "So personally, I can really relate to the value of this equipment that you hope they never have to use, but you want to make sure our volunteer firefighters are prepared any time they approach a scene where there may be an accident or an injury."

During the ceremony, she talked a bit more about the grant and the importance of the equipment to the VFD. "It’s hope, and sometimes it’s the reason a loved one makes it home."

And of the firefighters, "They’re volunteers, they’re neighbors helping neighbors, they’re people who are leaving family dinners, ballgames, holiday parties, birthdays, a warm bed at night. ... That’s the kind of service that deserves more than our appreciation, it deserves our support."