Bank gives fire department smoke detectors; Donation helps in tough economy

By CONNOR HOLMES
published in the Cape Coral Daily Breeze 9/9/09

Florida Community Bank Vice President of Commercial Lending Michael Littlestone and Dave Webster, a public education specialist for the Cape Coral Fire Department, shake hands as the bank donates four new smoke detectors to the fire department Tuesday.

* photo copyright the Cape Coral Daily Breeze. 

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Florida Community Bank presented the Cape Coral Fire Department with four new smoke detectors Tuesday to distribute to residents on a by-need basis.

Fire fighters keep at least one smoke detector on each truck to help replace non-working detectors when they respond to calls. The department also offers them free to residents who cannot afford them or to elderly or disabled residents who may have trouble installing them.

"We are always in need of smoke detectors," said Dave Webster, public education specialist for the fire department. "Donations are harder and harder to come by. It's a great asset to us."

In a time when distributors have waiting lists for agencies seeking donations of the devices, a Cape branch of Florida Community Bank, located at 205 Del Prado Blvd. S., stepped up and forged a relationship with the department and the residents both parties serve.

"We're a community bank so it's about being part of the community, any way we can help," said Michael Littlestone, the bank's vice president of commercial lending. "There's a need that was there and it was met."

Several months prior, the bank approached the department for fire safety literature to distribute to customers. Through continued relations, bank officials decided to buy the smoke detectors and present them to the fire department.

Littlestone said Florida Community Bank hopes to continue to foster a relationship with the fire department as well as its customers, and will likely contribute more in the future.

"Anything to help with the community is what we'll do," he said.

"If every bank in the city gave us two smoke detectors we'd have ample supply," Webster said.

Florida Community Bank was established in 1927 and has served Cape Coral for approximately 6-7 years.