Mantua – The Mantua Police Department would like to take this opportunity to express our sincere gratitude to GE Appliances (GEA), for their recent award to our agency. The Mantua Police Department submitted an application to the “GEA4Heroes” program, which sought to provide first responder agencies, or their employees, with new appliances in the battle with COVID-19 and other applicable issues.
GEA identified the goal of the program as follows: “GE Appliances, in partnership with the United Way Worldwide, will be donating thousands of appliances to our American Heroes, our first responders and healthcare workers. These appliances are being used now, more than ever, to help keep food and medicine safe, laundry and dishes sanitized, and food prepared for their families and teams. Needs-based donations will be made to individual first responders and healthcare workers, along with organizations such as firehouses, police stations and hospitals.”
On May 26th, our agency was notified that we had been chosen to receive appliances though this program. GEA allowed the selection of four appliances for the Mantua Police Station for use by our employees. Appliances selected were a washer and dryer, a refrigerator, and a tabletop microwave.
The need for these appliances cannot be overstated. As recently as late last year, one of our officers was exposed to a suspicious powder, which was later identified as Fentanyl. Two days prior to being notified of this award, one of our officers was exposed to a COVID-19 positive subject during a traffic stop.
Having the ability to immediately launder affected uniforms and equipment helps eliminate spreading contamination, and decreases the odds that some of these substances make their way into the homes of the officers and dispatchers. The Mantua Police Department did not have any ability to decontaminate items at the police station prior to this award.
The refrigerator and microwave will take up residence in our break area. This will allow our employees more space to store food and drink items brought in for their shifts. This will also allow us to properly store generous donations made by our community so all employees working shifts throughout the day have equal opportunity to enjoy those provisions. We currently use a dormitory refrigerator that is limited in size and freezing ability.
The Mantua Police Department stands humbled, and honored, by the opportunity that GE Appliances and their employees established through this program. From our crew, to your crew, we say THANK YOU!!
