Furniture

[LVFD301]

Just picked up a load of motel furniture - 5 rooms worth including couches, armoires, easy chairs, microwaves, refrigerators, desks, TV's, etc. All free, for us to burn up in our sprinkler safety prop - another 1k grant program. http://www.homefiresprinkler.org/FS/FSHome.html

Needless to say, for a variety of reasons we are not torching the microwaves or refrigerators, rather using those in dispatch and our two stations. (Our SO dispatchers had to keep their food in the refrigerator the trustees have access to)

Getting the furniture was pretty easy. I contacted a company that actually owns a number of hotels, Marriotts, Hamptons, Sheratons, Holiday Inns. (Most are owned by management companies, and are franchisees) I told them what we were doing, and asked if they had any facilities going through remodeling. Within a few days they had me set up.

Turns out, they get very little from the liquidators when they sell this stuff, and are usually happy to have it hauled off.

When you email or write them initially, it helps if you are a member of at least one of the reward programs for one or more of the properties they own. The person I dealt with told me specifically that gave them a bit of a push to get it done. Don't be afraid to mention it.

Great furniture to burn, but for a bunk room etc it would be great.

Then we picked up a pile of turnouts and SCBA, from a great department in northern MO, spent a bit of today getting some of it out to area departments, and they all thank you Jeff!

[ktb9780]

Were you ever an ex- Army supply Sgt? LOL! Great out of the box thinking there guy. I would imagine my Diamond Point status at Hilton Honors would help out.

[ChiefKN]

Kudos, brother!

What a great idea.

[LVFD301]

Thanks.

Diamond is good, but out of all of them I like Priority club ambassador status. When you get that, when you call up to 24 hours in advance, and they have no rooms, they either bump someone, or they find you a suitable room. One call.

Basically triple points over regular points, on anything you buy through the hotel, except for tax. Even bar charges, and of course meeting charges, including meals.

And the mini bar is free.

Between you, me, and Brian, the amount of points we get is probably scary.

[ktb9780]

Thanks.

Diamond is good, but out of all of them I like Priority club ambassador status. When you get that, when you call up to 24 hours in advance, and they have no rooms, they either bump someone, or they find you a suitable room. One call.

Basically triple points over regular points, on anything you buy through the hotel, except for tax. Even bar charges, and of course meeting charges, including meals.

And the mini bar is free.

Between you, me, and Brian, the amount of points we get is probably scary.

Yea but I can;' beat the managers reception, free made to order breakfast, free snack, free INternet and the beds at Embassy Suites.

[OsbornFPD]

Just picked up a load of motel furniture - 5 rooms worth including couches, armoires, easy chairs, microwaves, refrigerators, desks, TV's, etc. All free, for us to burn up in our sprinkler safety prop - another 1k grant program. http://www.homefiresprinkler.org/FS/FSHome.html

Needless to say, for a variety of reasons we are not torching the microwaves or refrigerators, rather using those in dispatch and our two stations. (Our SO dispatchers had to keep their food in the refrigerator the trustees have access to)

Getting the furniture was pretty easy. I contacted a company that actually owns a number of hotels, Marriotts, Hamptons, Sheratons, Holiday Inns. (Most are owned by management companies, and are franchisees) I told them what we were doing, and asked if they had any facilities going through remodeling. Within a few days they had me set up.

Turns out, they get very little from the liquidators when they sell this stuff, and are usually happy to have it hauled off.

When you email or write them initially, it helps if you are a member of at least one of the reward programs for one or more of the properties they own. The person I dealt with told me specifically that gave them a bit of a push to get it done. Don't be afraid to mention it.

Great furniture to burn, but for a bunk room etc it would be great.

Then we picked up a pile of turnouts and SCBA, from a great department in northern MO, spent a bit of today getting some of it out to area departments, and they all thank you Jeff!

We're just glad you found a good home for it Blake, some of that stuff, the new owners are the 3rd or 4th to use it, most of it was given to us.

[FIRE117]

Used Items

One FD that I was once a member of, recieved donations of used bed sheets from motels and hotels. The sheets were then used to wax the fire trucks.

Another added bonus was that prisioners from the local jail did the waxing. The fire chief would pick up the prisioners from the jail and bring them to the fire station. They were put to work waxing, as well as other chores (cleaning, etc.) in the fire station.

[LVFD301]

One FD that I was once a member of, recieved donations of used bed sheets from motels and hotels. The sheets were then used to wax the fire trucks.

Another added bonus was that prisioners from the local jail did the waxing. The fire chief would pick up the prisioners from the jail and bring them to the fire station. They were put to work waxing, as well as other chores (cleaning, etc.) in the fire station.

There were times up in NY that the ambulance cot would come OUT of the ER with more weight than it went IN to the ER. Supplies, sheets, pillows, etc. Not exactly donations, at least by the hospital management.....

I don't recall ever "washing" those sheets. (because we could always get more when those were dirty)