London Police Service Donates Incident Command Vehicle to Fanshawe College

At an event on Friday, September 24, 2010, London Police Service Chief Brad Duncan handed over the keys to its former Incident Command Vehicle to Dr. Howard Rundle, President of Fanshawe College.

London Police Chief Brad Duncan; Police Foundations students Samih Chami, Kellen Hefley, Rachael Walton; Paramedic program coordinator Sherry Jacklin; and Fanshawe President Howard Rundle with Fanshawe's new incident command vehicle.

The Command Vehicle, which has undergone mechanical and logistical updates, will be used to enhance and support the learning experience of students from Fanshawe's Emergency Management, Paramedic, Police Foundations and Emergency Telecommunications programs. As a full working vehicle, it will support Fanshawe's Emergency Plan, used as a first aid post by the College's Student Emergency Response Team (SERT) and be available to respond to community emergencies if required.

"The Incident Command Vehicle will afford students in several of our programs critical hands-on experience in learning to manage emergencies," said Dr. Rundle. "We are grateful to the London Police Service for their continued support of Fanshawe College - these future public safety practitioners will serve in communities across the province and around the world."

"The London Police Service and Fanshawe College have enjoyed a strong partnership for many years. The linkages to police through college programming provides students and faculty with ongoing positive contact with our members," said Chief Duncan. "The donation of the Command Vehicle was an opportunity for Fanshawe College to acquire a vehicle that can be used for teaching purposes and for actual situations requiring a mobile communications centre."

With this Incident Command Vehicle, the students will gain real life exerience with the logistics and tools available or needed to manage emergencies. Video cameras will capture their activities around and within the vehicle, which they will then use to analyze their decisions and actions.

Britta Winther, Chair of Fanshawe's Board of Governors said, "The generosity shown by the London Police Service in donating this vehicle is greatly appreciated. Fanshawe graduates enter the workforce prepared to step into their positions as a result of the hands-on training they receive through donations like this."

"London Police Service has always played a huge role in philanthropy in the community and here again they are setting a wonderful example of philanthropic spirit," said Larry Kinlin, Chair of the Fanshawe College Foundation. "They saw a need and they responded recognizing the impact that Fanshawe College students and graduates have in our communities."

The vehicle has been repainted and is easily identifiable as belonging to Fanshawe College.