Warnell

The Marshalltown Fire Department was awarded a $1,750 fire prevention from FM Global to help with fire investigation.

The grant will go to fund a digital camera, lighting and flash attachment to help investigate fires more efficiently and figure out the cause of fires.

Josh Warnell, fire marshal, spearheaded the effort to get the grant.

“Getting all the equipment to properly document a scene is huge for what we do,” Warnell said.

Camera equipment is helpful in documenting a fire scene.

“Cameras are always helpful when doing an investigation,” Warnell said. “The flash is helpful when painting the scene.”

Warnell was made aware of the grant a couple years ago from an assistant fire chief in Coralville.

He put together a letter letting FM Global know about Marshalltown’s needs and how the grant money would be used.

The grant is nationwide. Getting the grant is a big deal for Marshalltown’s Fire Department.

“It’s very useful for us to get some updated equipment,” Warnell said. “Having the right equipment to do these investigations helps tremendously.”

FM Global is one of the world’s largest commercial property insurers.

Since fires continue to be the leading cause of property damage worldwide, FM Global has contributed millions of dollars during the past 40 years in fire prevention grants to various fire service organizations. Many of those grant recipients Iowa-based.

In about two years the Marshalltown Fire Department will have a chance to apply for another grant.

“It’s one of those things that might not be in the budget for us this year,” Warnell said. “This helps our program a lot.”

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Contact Thomas Nelson at (641)753-6611 or tnelson@timesrepublican.com