The Niles police and fire departments received two donated vehicles from Enbridge Energy last week, after they were selected for the gifts through the Company’s Safe Community Program.

The Niles Fire Department received a 2007 Trail Blazer and the Niles Police Department was awarded a 2012 pickup truck. Each emergency response team had applied to receive the vehicles through Enbridge’s Safe Community Program about a year ago, respectively.

Niles Police Chief Jim Millin said the vehicle donations were direly needed by both department. 

“It’s going to help us out tremendously at no cost to the tax payers.” Millin said. “at no cost to the tax payers.”

Through the Safe Community Program, Enbridge donates vehicles they no longer need. Each vehicle is safety inspected before donation.

The program also distributes annual grants primarily to first responders.

Niles Fire Chief Larry Lamb said the fire department was in need of a smaller vehicle. He said the donated vehicle will be used to for building and code inspection travels. The vehicle will be one of three that the department owns, besides its fire engines.

To purchase a used vehicle to do the job required, Don Hughes, a Niles firefighter and driver, said it would cost between $28,000 to $30,000.

Hughes said the vehicle was needed for the department, especially since they recently took a 2007 vehicle out of commission.

“This is a big help to us right now,” Hughes said. 

Hughes said the only additions the vehicle will be getting will be painting it with with Niles Fire Department lettering.

For the police department, Millin said they could use the pickup truck for any number of useful services, including as a plow truck, training transportation or surveillance operations. The cost to the department to purchase the vehicle would have been between $35,000 to $50,000, Millin said.

Dispatcher Eric Ruth applied for the grant.

When considering recipients of the donations through the Community Safety Program, Lara Hamsher, a public affair advisor, said the donation recipients are chosen partially on a first come, first serve basis, but a huge priority is rewarding communities where the company has pipelines.

In Berrien and Cass counties, a network of Enbridge pipelines is used to transport oil and other liquids.

“When we look at these donations, we tend to prioritize agencies around our above ground facilities and to support overall community safety messaging,” Hamsher said. “Our program is to partner and develop relationships with first responders.”

This is the second time that Enbridge has donated vehicles to the city of Niles and Niles Township. About five years ago, they also donated a pickup truck to the fire department. The car was rigged with a snow plow and keeps the city council building, which also houses the fire department free of snow. The truck is still in service today.