Local fire organization provides gift to families of WES students

Post date: Oct 23, 2014 5:55:30 PM

In an assembly at Wells Elementary School on October 8th, representatives from the Wells Beach Hose Company, as part of their new Carbon Monoxide Program and in observance of Fire Prevention Week, donated 354 carbon monoxide detectors to students so that every family of a WES student could have a carbon monoxide detector in their home.

Even though their fire station on Webhannet Drive in Wells is now closed, the Wells Beach Hose Company (WBHC) continues to be a not for profit organization for those (and their spouses) who used to volunteer at the former fire house until its closure in 1989 when WBHC had 60 members.

According to WES Assistant Principal Ken Spinney, the organization reached out to the school to initiate the distribution of these detectors worth $13,000. Money for this significant donation was raised through fireman musters, fireman’s balls, and “Beano” (WBHC’s version of Bingo).

“I think it is just another neat example of community support of education of our students,” said an appreciative Spinney who labeled this gift a “great gesture”. Spinney said that one of these detectors might someday help save the life of a child and their family.

Current President and former Fire Chief at the WBHC Reggie Chase plus Pam Moody-Maxon and Judy Moody attended. Moody, whose husband is a WBHC member, coordinated the distribution of the detectors with assistance from members of the Wells High School INTERACT Club, a junior version of Wells Rotary. These high school students sorted, counted and distributed the carbon monoxide detectors to classroom teachers.

Moody and Maxon each spoke during the assembly. Moody explained what carbon monoxide is and set off one of the detectors to familiarize students with the sound of the alarm. She also answered student questions.

Maxon, who has two brothers that are WBHC members, spoke of the history of the Wells Beach Hose Company. Her father Peter Moody served for 27 years as a paid firefighter, 63 years as an active member and, for 5 years, as Fire Chief at the now closed station. Maxon told the audience that she "grew up" at the fire station. As a child she would spend lots of time staying at the station with her dad who worked 24 hour per day shifts. She said that she liked to play on the fire truck and would sometimes fall asleep on the truck’s hoses. The students at the assembly loved this story.

A booklet compiled by Pam Maxon and Judy Moody consisting of copies of old photographs of Peter Moody was given to teachers for their students to view. In the booklet were images of the old fire station and the fire trucks and ambulances it housed over the decades.

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas. According to the U.S. Centers For Disease Control (CDC), unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning accounted for an average of 430 deaths each year during the period from 1999 to 2010.

Caption: First grade teacher Lynn McPherson (at right) receiving a bag of carbon monoxide detectors from WHS INTERACT member Anna Furness.