Lakewood, Colo., Dec. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstBank, one of the nation’s largest privately held banks with a focus on ‘banking for good,’ announced a $50,000 donation at the Basalt Town Council meeting on Dec. 11.
The donation, which will help wildfire recovery, prevention efforts and create fire adapted communities, is in partnership with Eagle County, Roaring Fork Fire Authority and the town of Basalt.
The bank will work with these local parties to allocate funds to residents in an effort to safeguard their properties. The donation will benefit as many as 12 Roaring Fork Valley communities within Eagle County and be distributed as follows:
- $2,500 per individual defensible space or home ignition zone project
- $5,000 per landscape scale fuel-break or community level project
“FirstBank has served Coloradans for more than 55 years, and since entering the Roaring Fork Valley in 2012, we’ve grown to oversee more than $300 million in assets for our community,” said FirstBank Roaring Fork Valley Market President Dave Portman. “We’re dedicated to helping protect our communities and preserving our state’s natural beauty. We’re fortunate to work with knowledgeable officials who can ensure our contribution makes the greatest impact possible.”
The partnership estimates that the donation could help Eagle County officials better prepare more than 50 homes and properties across 30 acres through defensible space and fuel break treatments.
“No matter where you live in the Roaring Fork, we are all linked together by the threat of extreme wildfires,” explained Eagle County Wildfire Mitigation Coordinator Eric Lovgren. “Teamwork and planning are essential components to protecting our beautiful county, and all of the residents who live and work here.”
Officials cooperating in the partnership include: Eagle County Commissioners Jill Ryan, Jeanne McQueeney and Kathy Chandler-Henry; Basalt Mayor Jacque Whitsitt; Town Manager Ryan Mahoney; Roaring Fork Fire Authority Chief Scott Thompson; and Roaring Fork Fire Authority Fire Marshal John Mele.
“We’re thrilled that this donation will help us extend our efforts to develop fire adapted communities in the Roaring Fork Valley,” Chief Thompson said. “The key word there is community. We need residents and businesses to participate and prepare alongside us. This program will help get more people involved and ready.”
In 2019, FirstBank and its partners will announce more details about program funds allocation, including essential information for local property owners and community leaders.
About FirstBank
FirstBank operates more than 115 locations in Colorado, Arizona and California. It’s the largest locally owned banking organization in Colorado, serving more than 750,000 customers. FirstBank offers a variety of checking and savings accounts, mortgages, home equity loans and a full range of commercial loans and business accounts and services. Since 2000, the company has been recognized as a top corporate philanthropist and has contributed more than $60 million and thousands of volunteer hours to charitable organizations. FirstBank is also unique in that a majority of its stock is owned by management and employees. For more information, go to www.efirstbank.com.