State Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Bill Spurgeon (left), Genoa Township Fire Chief Gary Honeycutt (middle), and Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Administrator/CEO Sarah Morrison (right) discuss a grant the township received for firefighter safety during an event held Tuesday.
Cabinet Events
Members of the Governor’s Cabinet participated in a flurry of public events in Westerville and surrounding areas on March 5-6 leading up to the State of the State address, most notably:
A skills program discussion, at the Columbus State Community College’s Delaware Campus
Walk-in missing funds claims, at the Willis Building in Delaware
Preventing elder financial abuse, at the Westerville Senior Center
A tour of SourcePoint in Delaware
College Credit Plus discussion, at Big Walnut High School in Sunbury
Veterans Services visit, at Worthington Industries in Westerville
Ohio Means Jobs tutorial, at Big Walnut Middle School
Community conversation on underage and excessive drinking, at Otterbein University in Westerville
Aspire post-secondary class, at Delaware County District Library’s Orange Township Branch in Delaware
Veterans Career Accelerator, at The Point at Otterbein University
City of Westerville veterans honored, at City Council Chambers in Westerville
Tour of Sunbury Nursing Facility
Coffee with the Westerville Fire Department
Cyber Capture the Flag, at Westerville North High School in Delaware County
Preschool program visit, at Liberty Community Center in Delaware
Roundtable on workforce development, at Westerville Library
Tour of Axium Plastics, in New Albany
Tour of Cheryl’s Cookies, in Westerville
Mineral resources talk, at HR Collins Lab in Delaware
Opportunities in the hospital industry talk, at Nationwide Hotel and Conference Center, Lewis Center
Tour of Buckeye Valley School District, in Delaware
Tour of Nestle Quality Assurance Center, in Dublin
Tour of Sutphen Plant, in Dublin
United HealthCare meeting, in Westerville
Tour of PolymerOhio, in Westerville
Tour of Anheuser-Busch Brewery, in Columbus
Tour of Rumpke Recycling Facility, in Columbus
Walking tour of Delaware, by the County Board of Developmental Disabilities
Tree City Celebration, in Westerville
Towing incentive, at Rusty’s Towing in Delaware
Tour of Lake Shore Cryogenics, in Westerville
Tour of Vineyard Columbus, in Westerville
There was a brief, yet important, announcement given at the Genoa Township Fire Department in Galena on Tuesday.
The fire station on Big Walnut Road was the site of an announcement made by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) aimed at promoting its “Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grant Program.” Genoa used a $10,075 grant to purchase an industrial washing machine to replace a 1995 model.
To look at the white washer, it seemed little different than a typical household appliance. However, this larger unit was an “extractor,” an industrial machine that meets National Fire Protection Association standards. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health said because firefighters are exposed to carcinogenic chemicals during a fire, they have a higher risk of being diagnosed and dying from cancer than the general public. The extractor allows all gear, such as gloves and helmets, to be washed prior to the next shift.
“This is going to go a long way for us in preventing cancer,” said Gary Honeycutt, Genoa Township fire chief. “We’re very thankful.”
In a prepared statement that coincided with the event, Honeycutt said, “Cancer is a leading threat to firefighter health, and we take that threat seriously. We are grateful for the BWC grant that has allowed us to remove carcinogens from turnout gear, minimizing health impacts to our firefighters.”
Bill Spurgeon, the state’s chief deputy fire marshal, said he was “delighted” to partner with the BWC on the grant program.
“We celebrate Chief Honeycutt’s leadership,” Spurgeon said. “We have always known the importance of safety gear in firefighting, but now we also have a better understanding of how proper maintenance of that gear can protect the health and safety of our first responders.”
“It’s an exciting day for me to see our safety grants in action and to see our local communities are investing in making their work places safer, particularly our first responders,” said Sarah Morrison, administrator/CEO of the BWC. “We’re doing what we can to make our firefighters safe here in Ohio. We want our firefighters to be able to return home safely to their families and to fight another day.”
According to the BWC, 199 grants totaling $2 million have been awarded with four months remaining in the fiscal year. There are 245 other grant applications pending.
The event was one of many that tied in with Gov. John R. Kasich’s (R) final State of the State address, which he gave on Tuesday at Otterbein University in Westerville, near his family’s home. Correspondingly, these events were spread throughout Central Ohio, as far west as Marysville and as far east as Newark.
Gary Budzak may be reached at 740-413-0906 or on Twitter @GaryBudzak.
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