Stephen King grant funds equipment for Dexter fire

By Mike Lange
Staff Writer

    DEXTER — The Dexter Fire Department now has a heavy duty washer and dryer rack for its turnout gear, thanks to a grant from the Stephen King Foundation.
    First Assistant Chief Rick Stocker said he applied for a grant last spring, knowing that the Maine author’s foundation was very supportive of emergency services.

Observer Photo/Mike Lange

    GIFT FROM A KING — Rick Stocker, first assistant chief of the Dexter Fire Department, is shown with the new heavy-duty washer purchased by firefighters with a Stephen King Foundation Grant.

    “Needless to say, we were pleased to receive $10,000 earlier this year,” Stocker said. “With delivery and installation, the whole setup was about $15,000. But we had money in the reserve account to take care of the balance.”
    Fire safety experts have been urging departments to get this type of equipment for several reasons, Stocker said. “For one thing, keeping the equipment clean increases its longevity,” he said. “But most importantly, the washer is also an extractor. It takes out all of the carcinogens embedded in the material from the smoke. When you fight a fire today, you’re dealing with a lot of potentially dangerous material.”
    The dryer consists of a heating unit that blows hot air into a series of tubes in different configurations to dry coats, gloves, boots and other apparel.
    The Dexter Fire Department has about 30 members now and had an extremely busy winter season, said Stocker. “We fought three fires in one week: the Sherburne farm, a mobile home up by the armory and Southern Auto in Corinna,” he said.
    But like other Maine communities, Dexter is anticipating a tight budget for the upcoming fiscal year due to the potential increase in school expenditures and loss of state revenue sharing.
    “If it hadn’t been for this grant, we would have never been able to afford this equipment,” said Stocker. “Stephen King really believes in giving back to the community.”