Budget strapped fire departments awarded funding for equipment, training and public education programs thanks to Fireman's Fund Insurance Company and their employees nationwide demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting the fire service in 2005 by awarding 47 grants totaling more than $900,000 and donating more than 1,000 hours of volunteer time. The grants were awarded to local fire departments and nonprofit fire and burn prevention organizations in cities across the country -- from California to Connecticut -- through the Fireman's Fund Heritage(SM) program.

Fireman's Fund® encourages its employees to actively participate in the Fireman's Fund Heritage program through the "Bucket Brigade," an initiative named after the community-based approach to firefighting in the days before fire hydrants. Employees have the opportunity to nominate fire departments for grants, determine grant recipients and volunteer in non-firefighting activities in communities where they live and work.

"The Fireman's Fund Heritage program has been tremendously successful," said Danielle Cagan, community relations director, Fireman's Fund Insurance Company. "Our employees are delighted to be able to give back and support the fire service -- while helping make their communities safer."

The Fireman's Fund Heritage program was created in response to a national trend in communities large and small -- funding challenges that have left many fire departments without adequate resources.

"Without grants from organizations like Fireman's Fund, we wouldn't be able to purchase tools and technology that are standard and vital for many fire departments," said Chief Jerry Naylis, president of the Interboro Mutual Aid Group in Rockleigh, N.J. "Fireman's Fund employees are meeting a critical need at a time when fire departments like those of the Interboro Mutual Aid Group are struggling with budget cuts, staffing challenges and increased expectations when it comes to disaster relief planning."

Fire service organizations wishing to get involved in the Fireman's Fund Heritage program can fill out an online survey (www.firemansfund.com/heritage). Responses are added to a database available to Fireman's Fund employees and agents interested in nominating a department for a grant or volunteering.

Following is a list of grant recipients nominated and selected by Fireman's Fund employees in 2005:

Fire Department and Location Grant Amount
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CALIFORNIA
Benicia Volunteer Fire Dept., Benicia $2,771.00
De Luz Volunteer Fire Department, Fallbrook $8,050.00
Folsom City Fire Dept., Folsom $49,026.25
Orange County Burn Association, Irvine $11,240.00
Penn Valley Fire Protection District, Penn Valley $6,200.00
Petaluma Fire Dept., Petaluma $15,000.00
Rohnert Park Dept. of Public Safety, Rohnert Park $8,895.98
The Burn Institute, San Diego $25,000.00

COLORADO
Elk Creek Fire Protection District, Conifer $12,014.13
South Metro Fire Rescue, Denver $6,500.00

CONNECTICUT
Waterbury Fire Dept., Waterbury $25,965.00

GEORGIA
Forsyth County Fire Dept., Cumming $9,700.00

ILLINOIS
Geneva Fire Dept., Geneva $9,500.00
Paw Paw Volunteer Fire Dept., Paw Paw $15,000.00
Shabbona Volunteer Fire Dept., Shabbona $10,000.00

MARYLAND
Lineboro Volunteer Fire Company, Lineboro $71,890.00

MINNESOTA
Gaylord Fire Dept., Gaylord $4,100.00
Hamel Volunteer Fire Dept., Hamel $27,080.00
Hennepin County Fire Chiefs, Mound $14,790.00
Medicine Lake Fire Dept., Medicine Lake $20,000.00
Osseo Volunteer Fire Dept., Osseo $16,600.00

MISSOURI
Central County Fire & Rescue, St. Peters $25,000.00
Cottleville Community Fire Protection District,
Cottleville $29,986.00
St. Clair Fire Protection District, St. Clair $21,900.00
St. Louis City Fire Dept., St. Louis $19,600.00

NEW JERSEY
Knowlton Township Fire & Rescue, Knowlton $46,600.00
Rahway Fire Dept., Rahway $39,168.00
Rockleigh Volunteer Fire Dept., Rockleigh $9,315.00

NEW YORK
La Grange Fire District, Poughkeepsie $9,975.00
Long Beach Fire Dept., Long Beach $10,000.00
South Plattsburgh Fire Dept., Plattsburgh $20,630.00

OHIO
Forest Park Fire Dept., Forest Park $20,594.67
Loveland-Symmes Fire Dept., Loveland $20,000.00
Wyoming Fire-EMS, Wyoming $17,000.00

PENNSYLVANIA
Lehigh Valley Burn Foundation, Allentown $25,682.00
Upper Nazareth Fire Dept., Nazareth $1,800.00

TEXAS
Bedford Fire Dept., Bedford $5,000.00
Galveston Fire Dept., Galveston $30,000.00
Garland Fire Dept., Garland $7,000.00
Harmony Volunteer Fire Dept., Harmony $29,867.00
Idalou Volunteer Fire Dept., Idalou $8,620.50
Lancaster Fire Dept., Lancaster $36,650.00
Nevada Volunteer Fire Dept., Nevada $17,500.00

VIRGINIA
Hanover County Fire/EMS, Hanover $25,000.00

WASHINGTON
Auburn Fire Dept., Auburn $29,000.00

WISCONSIN
Hartland Fire Dept., Hartland $10,000.00
Wascott Volunteer Fire Dept., Wascott $20,655.00

Employee volunteerism in 2005 included:

-- Atlanta -- conducted home improvement projects at the family home of a fallen Alpharetta, Ga., firefighter

-- San Francisco Bay Area -- installed smoke detectors in several mobile home parks in the community served by the Windsor Fire Protection District and performed landscaping work at the firehouse in Sebastopol, Calif.

-- Chicago -- distributed public education materials for the Chicago Fire Department, conducted firehouse improvement projects at the Summit, Ill., Fire Department and volunteered at Loyola University Medical Center's Burn Center

-- Dallas -- repainted a helicopter landing pad for the Rolling Oaks Volunteer Fire Department

-- New York -- served as docents at FDNY's Fire Zone, an interactive fire safety learning center, and cleaned and restored artifacts in preparation for the opening of the Nassau Fire County Firefighters museum

About Fireman's Fund Heritage

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company was founded in 1863 with the mission to allocate a portion of its profits to support firefighters. Today, the company is carrying forward this mission to support firefighters for safer communities through the Fireman's Fund Heritage program. The modern-day corporate philanthropy program was created in response to the funding challenges that have left many fire departments without adequate resources.

About Fireman's Fund

Fireman's Fund is a premier property and casualty insurance company providing personal, commercial and specialty insurance products nationwide. Fireman's Fund is a member of the Allianz Group (NYSE:AZ), one of the world's largest providers of insurance and other financial services. For more information, visit www.firemansfund.com.