Tue, 01/05/2016 - 00:00

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Jan. 5, 2016) – Franklin Electric Co., Inc., has donated 34 water transfer pumps to the city utilities department at the City of Fort Wayne to assist with future flooding and water transfer needs. The pumps vary in capacities from 60 gpm (gallons per minute) up to 264 gpm and are ideal for high-volume water transfer and dewatering, such as flood water removal, emptying excess ditch water, removing swimming pool water and more. The pumps are gas engine driven and do not require electricity for operation, often making them a desirable solution during power outages and other urgent need water removal applications. “Given the high volumes of rain and flooding across not only much of the U.S., but also in our local community, Franklin Electric recognized the need to provide an inventory of gas engine drive water transfer pumps to the City of Fort Wayne to combat similar challenges when they occur in the future,” said Tom Strupp, Franklin Electric vice president of Global Human Resources. For the allocation of these pumps, Franklin Electric contacted the United Way of Allen Country, who then referred the offer to John Clark, deputy director of city utilities at the City of Fort Wayne. Clark expressed the need for the pumps and implemented a plan for utilization. Fort Wayne residents will have access to the pumps when needed to protect their property from water damage. “These will be a nice addition to the city’s sandbagging efforts and the current large pumps we use to protect entire neighborhoods,” said Clark. “It is a very emotional and stressful time when water is threatening to enter residents’ homes. For residents who’ve experienced flooding in the past, they know the threat is real. The portability and size of the donated Franklin Electric pumps are a great match for homes that are being threatened by rising water. The recent donation of 34 pumps will help residents protect their investments and symbolizes the partnership we have with a valuable company to Fort Wayne.” This partnership between Franklin Electric and the City of Fort Wayne was bolstered during Franklin Electric’s relocation to Fort Wayne in July 2013, by establishing the infrastructure to make the company’s new facility location shovel ready. Franklin Electric is a a manufacturer of complete pumping systems for a variety of residential, commercial, agricultural, industrial, municipal and fueling applications.