Donation provides firefighters with peace of mind

Chad Klimack, Reporter

PATASKALA - Firefighters work long shifts, meaning they are away from their homes for extended periods of time. 

Recognizing that reality, State Farm and Canary recently donated dozens of home monitoring systems to local firefighters. 

Representatives from the insurance provider showed up at West Licking Joint Fire District on a recent weekday morning with boxes of high-tech Canary devices. The devices contain a high-def camera, siren and air monitor, even allowing users to monitor live camera feeds of their homes from a cell phone app. 

Not surprisingly, the firefighters were thrilled to receive the devices. 

"It's nice to see companies look out for the people looking out for them," West Licking Assistant Chief Jack Treinish said. 

Since late 2015, State Farm and Canary have been donating Canary home monitoring systems to first responders in select communities around the country. 

The partners call the program "Protect the Protectors," and State Farm community relations specialist Kim Lust said the insurance provider views the program as a way to say "thank you" to firefighters and police officers. 

"It's State Farm's way of thanking our first responders," she said. "It's a way for them to feel safe back at home while they're protecting us."

State Farm and Canary donated 64 of the devices to West Licking firefighters. 

They previously donated them to Newark police and the Newark firefighters, among other local agencies. 

The Canary devices are so sensitive, Lust said, that they can sense changes in room temperature, in addition to detecting motion, smoke or sound. 

"You'll even get an alert if someone rattles a window," Lust told West Licking's firefighters. 

Newark State Farm agent Tony Adams helped State Farm hand out the devices to the firefighters. He was joined by representatives from agent Amanda Erwine's Pataskala office. 

"You guys don't get enough recognition for putting your lives on the line every day," Adams told West Licking's firefighters.

State Farm and Canary donated the home monitoring devices to first responders in mostly large markets, including places like Denver. However, a local State Farm employee sought to bring the Protect the Protectors program to Licking County, Adams said. 

State Farm and Canary recently donated home monitoring devices to West Licking Joint Fire District firefighters as part of their Protect the Protectors program. Pictured, from left to right, Kayla Howell and Jassica Dawson, from State Farm insurance agent Amanda Erwine's Pataskala office pose with firefighters Fred Odrumsky and Rick Beck and State Farm agent Tony Adams, of Newark.