Indianola Fire, Police, Library Earn 2024 Warren County Philanthropic Partnership Community Grants

The City of Indianola is excited to announce that the Indianola Fire Department, Indianola Police Department and Indianola Public Library are proud recipients of a 2024 Warren County Philanthropic Partnership Community Grant, as unveiled Tuesday, April 30, during a celebratory event at the Warren County Justice Center.

The Warren County Philanthropic Partnership was organized to promote and enhance community-based philanthropy in Warren County. It recently received a state award to facilitate endowment building and grantmaking.

The contribution to the foundation was made possible by the Iowa General Assembly, the Warren County Philanthropic Partnership said. In 2004, the Iowa Legislature passed several bills to encourage foundation building and community-based philanthropy. Among these measures was House File 2032, which provided that non-gambling counties, initiating a county-wide community foundation, would be eligible to receive one-half of 1% of the state's gross gambling tax receipts.

According to the foundation, 55 grant applications were received for this year's cycle. Twenty-three organizations across Warren County shared in the funding allocations, totaling $110,842.23 in grant awards.

Learn more about each of the projects that the Indianola Fire Department, Indianola Police Department and Indianola Public Library will be supported by these grants.

Indianola Fire Department

ROLLNRACK Power Roller: $5,000 Grant

This project aims to purchase a ROLLNRACK® Power Roller with a five-inch Storz coupling jaw set to be utilized at fire scenes. The Power Roller system is designed to drain, roll, transport and load the fire hose onto the apparatus. After extinguishing a fire, three or four firefighters may remain on the scene to pick up the hose and be prepared for the next emergency. The automatic hose roller is not a luxury, but rather a need to increase firefighters' workflow efficiency.

The hose roller will help crews conserve energy, keep carcinogens off personal protective equipment and skin and help prevent unnecessary injuries. Data indicates that firefighters often strain their backs, shoulders and knees due to crawling in fires, lifting people or handling fire hoses. It is an accepted fire service understanding that a five-inch LDH will hold one gallon of water per foot of hose. On average, a 100-foot section of five-inch hose empty weighs 110 pounds. With water weighing 8.33 pounds per gallon, a 100-foot section of LDH filled with water will weigh approximately 944 pounds.

The firefighter must lift the hose over their shoulder to drain the water before rolling the hose. The system can drain and roll over 5,000 feet of hose on a full battery charge. Employing this device assists in the proper body mechanics, allowing the loading of the hose back onto the rig safely with just two firefighters. This grant will help eliminate a significant strain and injury risk with the hose rollers that safely and efficiently drain the water, transport and load the hose back onto the apparatus.

Rapid Extrication Drag Device Sleds: $3,000 Grant

This project aims to acquire four REDD (Rapid Extrication Drag Device) sleds that will be placed on the remaining Indianola Fire Department ambulances and first-due fire apparatus. The REDD sled is an innovative, rapid extrication drag device that firefighters and EMS specifically created for their use, allowing for easy victim dragging while minimizing any risk of injury to the rescuer.

Previously, rescuers had to carry injured or sick patients on a long backboard, which could cause the rescuers to suffer from strains and sprains and potentially drop the patient. The REDD sled is a versatile tool that can be used to transport an unconscious patient or someone receiving CPR while strapped to a long backboard equipped with a device that provides mechanical chest compressions. The sled's weight is evenly distributed between the handles, making it more comfortable to handle. It's compact, portable and can be easily placed in compartments for quick access. It can also be carried to inaccessible ditches, fields and wooded areas.

The Indianola Fire Department has a mission to enhance the community's lifestyle and contribute significantly to the safety of Indianola residents and visitors. The department has allocated $400 towards the project to achieve this goal. The Warren County Philanthropic Partnership grant, which the Indianola Firefighters Association helped play a pivotal role to secure, will provide the remaining $3,000 needed.

Indianola Police Department

Peer Support App: $4,300 Grant

This project aims to set up and subscribe to a peer support app for all employees and family members of the Indianola Police Department. The app will provide 24-hour access to mental health and wellness resources that cover various topics. It will also allow for group and individual peer support conversations while maintaining anonymity and confidentiality.

Furthermore, the app will work to assist the growing Peer Support Program that's set to launch at the Indianola Police Department.

Indianola Public Library

Customized Activity Wall: $2,000 Grant

This project addresses the Indianola Public Library's goal to be a free community space for childhood development, where children can learn through hands-on, open-ended play. The three competencies that the activity wall will teach are storytelling; science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); and sensory learning. The project help build and purchase a set of panels for the activity wall, designed to teach these competencies and their associated skills. Adding this interactive learning space to the library's children's area will further achieve the goal of supporting childhood development throughout Indianola.

Each activity panel will teach an important skill to lay the foundation for future learning. It is also an opportunity for social skill practice when children play with new friends. The benefit from this project will last as long as children in the community want to visit the library, as they have for over a century. The panels will be built out of sturdy wood and safely attached to the wall with French cleats which ensures longevity in multiple ways. Upkeep will be minimal and low cost unless the wood panel itself becomes damaged, with Legos and other items easily removed and replaced as they show wear. Only one panel can be hung up at a time, so the eight panels will be regularly rotated through. This will refresh children's interest in the activity wall and encourage them to keep using it each time they visit the library. The French cleats can be removed and added to a different wall as the space changes over time.

The community continuously expresses support of the library's family services by providing feedback on the children's area. There are frequent requests for more interactive and STEM-based toys, particularly since the Friends of the Library sponsored a wind tunnel two years ago. The Friends have expressed their support for this project and also see a need to encourage childhood development through interactive play.

Learn More Information

To learn more about the Indianola Fire Department, Indianola Police Department and the Indianola Public Library, please visit their websites at:

To learn more about the Warren County Philanthropic Partnership, please visit www.warrencountypp.org.

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