CARTERET—Mayor Dan Reiman was joined today by representatives from Kinder Morgan for a ceremony in which a refurbished foam fire truck was formally presented to the Carteret Fire Department. The emergency service vehicle, valued at approximately $175,000, has been offered through the Kinder Morgan Foundation, which provides funds to local non-profit organizations to improve public resources and programs.
The truck, according to Carteret Fire Chief Brian O’Connor, is equipped specifically for the handling of chemical related emergencies, and has already been used twice this year.
Kinder Morgan is one of the largest pipeline transporters and terminal operators in North America. The Kinder Morgan companies own an interest in or operate more than 37,000 miles of pipelines that transport primarily natural gas, crude oil, petroleum products and CO2, and approximately 165 terminals that store, transfer and handle products like gasoline and coal.
Kinder Morgan has traditionally played a supportive role in Carteret. While it provides employment to many of area residents, and needed tax ratables for town-wide improvements, it has also been supportive of many community-oriented programs, services, and charities. In 2006, Kinder Morgan enabled some of the town’s young athletes to travel to Florida, to compete in and win the national Pee Wee cheerleading competition, and in 2007 made a $5,000 donation to the Carteret Library. It has also provided endowments to local charities, and has become instrumental in providing sponsorship dollars for special events, such as the popular Concerts by the Bay Series.
According to Reiman, Kinder Morgan has donated other equipment to the Carteret Fire Department, and has sponsored some of its specialized training.
“This donation is a testament to the value of partnerships that can be formed between a community and the businesses it hosts,” Reiman stated. “This administration has always been proactive in establishing such partnerships, and encouraging a level of community involvement that goes beyond the establishment of jobs and the growth of our commercial tax base.”
Officials stand in front of a foam fire truck donated to the Carteret Fire Department by Kinder Morgan. (Photo courtesy of the Borough of Carteret)
