MARBLE HILL, MO. (June 2, 2023) – Ameren has contributed $15,000 to the Woodland Fire Protection District to provide additional resources for this critical emergency service following a deadly EF2 tornado that hit rural Bollinger County on April 5. The Woodland Fire Protection District has continued to serve area homes and businesses after the volunteer fire station in Glen Allen was destroyed by the 130 mph winds. The funds will be used to assist with essential first responder equipment and infrastructure damaged by the storm.
“Our natural gas crews were on the ground following this tornado, so we saw firsthand the heartbreaking devastation that this area has faced,” said Pam Harrison, director of gas operations for Ameren Missouri. “Ensuring that these brave volunteer firefighters have the tools and equipment they need is imperative to protect the safety of this community.”
More than 20 volunteer firefighters of the Woodland Fire Protection District, along with assistance from other area departments and agencies, have been actively involved in disaster recovery efforts following the tornado.
“It was a devastating loss for Bollinger County to see the station in Glen Allen destroyed by this tornado, especially at a time when our community needs us more than ever,” said Calvin Troxell, fire chief of Woodland Fire Protection District. “We’re grateful to have the financial support of Ameren as we continue to recover from the tornado along with the rest of our neighbors.”
“When disasters happen in our region, we see it as our duty to not just restore electric or natural gas service, but to also help restore the community for our neighbors,” said Russ Burger, Ameren Missouri’s Southeast Missouri division director. “The community is demonstrating its resiliency, and we hope this donation will help ensure local first responders have what they need to serve the community.”
The Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust was established in 1944 to serve as a principal source of the company’s philanthropic investments in community projects and programs. Allocations from the Trust's AmerenCares program come entirely from corporate earnings – and are not charged to customers as a business expense.
About Ameren Missouri
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 135,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.