WUBS Operation Fire Extinguisher Distribution gives 300 extinguishers one month after fatal fire

SOUTH BEND — One month after a fatal house fire killed six South Bend children, radio station WUBS-FM’s (89.7) Operation Fire Extinguisher Distribution grows swiftly in the community.

The Rev. Sylvester Williams, the head of WUBS, previously pledged to put 1,000 fire extinguishers in 1,000 homes, enlisting the community’s help in the gathering and dispersing of them.

“We’re moving at a phenomenal rate together,” Williams said. “There have been some very generous people in our community that answered the call,” he said, gesturing to the sales manager of Koorsen Fire & Security, Aubrey Ginzer.

Koorsen’s goal is education, Ginzer said. “It’s mostly about the community and bringing people together to understand, what is prevention? What is protection?” she said.

The room was filled with boxes of Class ABC fire extinguishers, which put out anything that’s burning ash, Ginzer said. She gave the examples of cigarette butts, trash fires, flammable liquids and furnace fans.

The first phase of Operation Fire Extinguisher Distribution, disbursed a total of 325 fire extinguishers to churches or directly into homes, Williams said. Some were donated and some were purchased, he said. Over 100 fire extinguishers were donated from Koorsen, with Ginzer expecting 100 more.

Ginzer wants to make sure that Koorsen remains proactive in providing protection to the community and aims to continue working with Williams to fill those needs.

“We don’t want it to be a one-time thing,” she said. “If we give 1,000 today, they’ll forget about it in 30 days from now. But now we're doing 100 and 100 later, more and more, so that it’s more prevalent and at the top of your mind.”

Operation Fire Extinguisher Distribution has moved quickly, expanding in the last two weeks, Ginzer said.

“It’s a moving piece,” she said. “You can’t do it with just one person, just one company or with one organization,” she said. “It really has to be a community involvement.”

Ginzer called the 222 N. LaPorte Ave. fire an “absolute tragedy," adding that it’s Koorsen's initiative to make sure the right resources get sent to the right people.

“We try our very best to get the word out there, but sometimes it just doesn’t reach the right people,” she said. “Sometimes they don’t have the resources. That’s our goal, too. To be able to provide those resources for them when they can’t themselves.”

Church pastors were present to distribute fire extinguishers to their congregations as well homeowners for themselves.

“We’re working through churches in order to expedite it,” Williams said. “The difference between this initiative and any other is, we’re taking it to them. We’re taking fire extinguishers into the homes.”

Most folks don’t have the tools to put out the spark, he said. “We’re providing the tool today.”

Everyone who wanted a fire extinguisher was asked to write down their name and address in order to keep track of which homes were equipped with protection.

Ruth Hemingway, in charge of the sign up sheet, said this initiative allows people to have the right tools to be safe, telling a story of when she and her kids visited a fire house and were taught fire safety.

“Parents should take more time now to prevent as opposed to afterwards,” she said.

Latoya Groves thought about her little girl as she attended Thursday.

“I have a 22-month old in the house, and it’s just she and I,” Groves said.

During a fire, people panic, she said. “It’s good to have something right there. Since it’s only me and my child in the house, if you can’t get out, you at least have something to protect yourself."

For Joeann Carter, the distribution of fire extinguishers in the community is a blessing.

“We need this in our community,” she said. She talked about the “babies lost in the community,” saying she lost two kids, many years ago, in a fire.

“This is a good thing that we’re doing here to keep us safe,” Carter said.

Williams is confident WUBS will reach its goal of donating 1,000 fire extinguishers by April 1. Anyone who wants to donate a new fire extinguisher can visit the radio station’s website or stop by their location at 702 Lincoln Way W.

Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: 300 fire extinguishers dispersed offering prevention and protection