For more information contact:
Becca Virden
Phone: 612-321-4879
Pager: 612-538-1234
MINNEAPOLIS – May 28, 2008 – CenterPoint Energy recently awarded 28 Community Partnership grants totaling $63,500 to cities for safety equipment or tools used for emergency response in the community.
“We’re pleased that these partnership grants will help our cities obtain additional tools and safety equipment enabling them to better respond in the event of an emergency,” said David Baker, division vice president of regional operations for CenterPoint Energy. “We believe that our Grant Program strengthens the communities we serve; supporting a shared commitment to safety.”
CenterPoint Energy awarded partnership grants to the following cities:
Albertville – Defibrillators & portable radios
Alexandria – Frisbouy & CPR training equipment
Andover – Fire Department pagers
Apple Valley – Rescue saws
Belle Plaine – Pagers and meth lab response equipment
Big Lake – Defibrillator & portable radio
Brainerd – Automatic external defibrillator equipment and Emergency first aid equipment
Brooklyn Park – Hydra-ram forcible entry tools
Buffalo – Self-contained breathing apparatus
Burnsville – Trailer and emergency preparedness equipment
Cambridge – Automatic external defibrillators
Chaska – Air monitoring equipment
Coon Rapids – Crime prevention resource guide
Elk River – Self-contained breathing apparatus air cylinder
Fridley – Firefighter protective clothing
Jordan – Base unit radio system for mobile unit
Lakeville – Multi-gas atmospheric monitors
Minneapolis – Gas monitors
Minnetonka – Defibrillators
North Mankato – Confined space gas detectors
Otsego – Defibrillators
Plymouth – Video robot
Prior Lake – Multi-gas atmosphere monitors
Shakopee – Defibrillator
St. James – Self-contained breathing apparatus, voice amps and pagers
St. Louis Park – Electric powered blower and gas monitors
St. Michael – Self-contained breathing apparatus
Willmar – Multi-gas detector and confined space entry air distribution system
The CenterPoint Energy 2008 grant program provides a matching contribution of up to $2500 and began in April with priority given to franchised communities that have not previously received a CenterPoint Energy Community Partnership Grant. The company will accept applications through September 1 and continue to award grants until funds are depleted. Applicants in Minnesota may contact Suzanne Pierazek at 1-612-321-4828 for more information and must meet the minimum requirements below. Only one application submission is required to be considered for the entire funding year and if chosen for a grant, the city is notified.
Minimum requirements:
• City is served by CenterPoint Energy Minnesota
• Proposed equipment or special project must be used for emergency response in the community and meet eligible safety equipment list
• Application must be signed by a city official
• Applicant must provide funding deadlines
CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total over $17 billion. With about 8,600 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. In Minnesota, CenterPoint Energy is the state’s largest natural gas distribution utility, serving nearly 790,000 customers in 260 communities. The utility also operates a non-regulated business in Minnesota called Home Service Plus®. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.
