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Chief Sikes noticed several ATVs for sale outside of the business. He told the manager that he was interested in purchasing one of the vehicles to use for fire safety, and asked about prices. The manager called the corporate office, who authorized the store to sell it to the Vidalia Fire Department for around half price – a little over $10,000 total.
Sikes then spoke with Dot Foods Human Resources Manager Wendy Nolen, as the company has been an avid supporter of the Vidalia Fire Department in numerous past endeavors. He informed Nolen about the vehicle and how much Tractor Supply Company had already taken off of the sale price; after meeting with the area Dot Foods Charitable Deeds Board, Nolen stated that Dot Foods would fully fund the remaining cost for the vehicle.
When it came to equipping the vehicle with a tank and other tools, Chief Sikes contacted the Georgia Forestry Commission to see if their 50/50 Grant could cover the items. After receiving a discount on the Williams Brothers tank – a well-known brand that supplies water tanks to wildlife firefighters and forestry rangers on the west coast – and on lights for the vehicle, and receiving the 50/50 grant, the Department only invested around $3,800 in the over $20,000 project.
“Everyone really came together in it all – especially Dot Foods and Tractor Supply,” Sikes said. “We got the vehicle back in January, but it took around nine weeks to get the tank in because it had to actually come from California because that’s where a lot of the fires and the main company are. Williams Brothers is just one of their distributors in Alabama, and they work hand-in-hand with forestry units and give discounts to fire departments for that reason.”
He spoke on the importance of the community working together in projects, such as this one. “A community working together makes a safer community,” he emphasized. “There are several local businesses that support us and their pitching in makes for a safer community for us.”
The vehicle has already been present at some local events, such as the Downtown Vidalia Association Art in the Park, and will be seen working throughout the area during the Vidalia Onion Festival, as its offroad capabilities, small size, and stock of tools and equipment make it easy to maneuver through crowds and reliable in times of emergencies.
