Hi all,
I am a firefighter / EMT and member of our local volunteer fire company. Our first due area is fairly rural - we are out in the country a bit, but not more than 20 minutes away from a Tesla store with public HPWCs.
One of my close friends and brother EMT at the station purchased a Tesla in March. Because he used my referral code, I just received my free referral black signature HPWC. I already have a HPWC installed at my house. It's not a black signature HPWC, but it works perfectly and I am not going to mess with it. Thus, I have two options: 1) Sell it; or 2) I had another idea.
First, let me tell you about the volunteer fire and EMS service for a moment. We are a family from very diverse backgrounds but we share a single DNA flag that brings us together - - we want to learn how to help others, and we really love big fire trucks with lots of flashing lights and sirens. This equipment is not inexpensive to purchase and maintain. Our last medic cost in excess of $500,000 (with on-board equipment) and our new engine expected in the fall will cost way more than that. We have a mortgage, insurance, utilities, fuel, and every other homeowner expense as well. We rely heavily on community donations and annual fund drives. We sell snowballs in the summer, pumpkins in the fall, and Christmas trees in the winter. We run birthday parties for kids all year. All of this money is needed to run the company, purchase and maintain the equipment, and keep the lights on. But when someone in our community calls 911, we will be there and we will be ready.
I am thinking of making a motion at the next company meeting as follows: "Motion to accept donation of a Tesla HPWC wall charger signed by Elon Musk, modification of parking spot at rear of station for electric vehicle charging, and installation of signage and donation box at modified parking spot."
Here is my concept and I am curious what you guys think, and I have a few questions at the end of this story.
With our diverse backgrounds, we have licensed electricians, construction folks, painters, basically all labor, for free. And the HPWC would be free. So this would be a zero-cost labor project. The only materials needed would be wire and conduit (the run is only about 30 feet to the main breaker box). plus some green and white paint for the pavement, plus a sign and a locked donation box. Let's call it $500 for materials, probably less.
I would install the HPWC, paint the spot really nice green with a white border, and maybe get a template for EV charging to paint there, install a sign post, and install a sign and locked voluntary donation box.
The idea would be that I would publish this HPWC on the plug share apps, our annual fund drive letters, our website, whatever, letting people know that our community fire station now has a public Tesla charger. This would be great for our community because visitors to members of our our community from out of town that own Teslas would be able to have a very convenient option to charge very close to their destination.
When the visitor to the charger pulls to the back of the station, they can use the charger, and they can read the sign. The sign will welcome them, provide that the charger is free, and ask visitors to consider a donation for the donation box. Maybe we do a pamphlet holder on the sign and I create a one page 3-fold document about our mission, our history, and why we rely so much on donations to allow us to obtain and maintain lifesaving equipment, tools and supplies, and that their donation is helping the community at large including the family and friends they may be visiting. Drivers can read it while charging.
I would close out my motion by stating that, at some point, we can add a non-Tesla universal charger to that spot (or maybe we also install a 220v outlet with the HPWC - i'll look into that as well). But I need to sell the membership on the concept. I need to explain that this charger is not for my friend and I because we live 3 minutes away and already have chargers. I need to sell them on the future.
One final point, Depending on cost, I would like a video cam installed with motion detection masked to that spot for "movement". I would like to get mobile alerts when there is movement in that spot, both for security, and to know when I should check the donation box. If I can get this camera donated, this will be part of the setup.
SO...... here are my questions:
1. Do you like or dislike this idea?
2. Do you have any suggestions to the idea?
3. Do you think Tesla owners that use the charger will drop in a donation for the firehouse?
4. Do you think the value of the donations will at least exceed the cost of electric? This is where I expect the members to grill me.
Thanks for reading everyone.
I am a firefighter / EMT and member of our local volunteer fire company. Our first due area is fairly rural - we are out in the country a bit, but not more than 20 minutes away from a Tesla store with public HPWCs.
One of my close friends and brother EMT at the station purchased a Tesla in March. Because he used my referral code, I just received my free referral black signature HPWC. I already have a HPWC installed at my house. It's not a black signature HPWC, but it works perfectly and I am not going to mess with it. Thus, I have two options: 1) Sell it; or 2) I had another idea.
First, let me tell you about the volunteer fire and EMS service for a moment. We are a family from very diverse backgrounds but we share a single DNA flag that brings us together - - we want to learn how to help others, and we really love big fire trucks with lots of flashing lights and sirens. This equipment is not inexpensive to purchase and maintain. Our last medic cost in excess of $500,000 (with on-board equipment) and our new engine expected in the fall will cost way more than that. We have a mortgage, insurance, utilities, fuel, and every other homeowner expense as well. We rely heavily on community donations and annual fund drives. We sell snowballs in the summer, pumpkins in the fall, and Christmas trees in the winter. We run birthday parties for kids all year. All of this money is needed to run the company, purchase and maintain the equipment, and keep the lights on. But when someone in our community calls 911, we will be there and we will be ready.
I am thinking of making a motion at the next company meeting as follows: "Motion to accept donation of a Tesla HPWC wall charger signed by Elon Musk, modification of parking spot at rear of station for electric vehicle charging, and installation of signage and donation box at modified parking spot."
Here is my concept and I am curious what you guys think, and I have a few questions at the end of this story.
With our diverse backgrounds, we have licensed electricians, construction folks, painters, basically all labor, for free. And the HPWC would be free. So this would be a zero-cost labor project. The only materials needed would be wire and conduit (the run is only about 30 feet to the main breaker box). plus some green and white paint for the pavement, plus a sign and a locked donation box. Let's call it $500 for materials, probably less.
I would install the HPWC, paint the spot really nice green with a white border, and maybe get a template for EV charging to paint there, install a sign post, and install a sign and locked voluntary donation box.
The idea would be that I would publish this HPWC on the plug share apps, our annual fund drive letters, our website, whatever, letting people know that our community fire station now has a public Tesla charger. This would be great for our community because visitors to members of our our community from out of town that own Teslas would be able to have a very convenient option to charge very close to their destination.
When the visitor to the charger pulls to the back of the station, they can use the charger, and they can read the sign. The sign will welcome them, provide that the charger is free, and ask visitors to consider a donation for the donation box. Maybe we do a pamphlet holder on the sign and I create a one page 3-fold document about our mission, our history, and why we rely so much on donations to allow us to obtain and maintain lifesaving equipment, tools and supplies, and that their donation is helping the community at large including the family and friends they may be visiting. Drivers can read it while charging.
I would close out my motion by stating that, at some point, we can add a non-Tesla universal charger to that spot (or maybe we also install a 220v outlet with the HPWC - i'll look into that as well). But I need to sell the membership on the concept. I need to explain that this charger is not for my friend and I because we live 3 minutes away and already have chargers. I need to sell them on the future.
One final point, Depending on cost, I would like a video cam installed with motion detection masked to that spot for "movement". I would like to get mobile alerts when there is movement in that spot, both for security, and to know when I should check the donation box. If I can get this camera donated, this will be part of the setup.
SO...... here are my questions:
1. Do you like or dislike this idea?
2. Do you have any suggestions to the idea?
3. Do you think Tesla owners that use the charger will drop in a donation for the firehouse?
4. Do you think the value of the donations will at least exceed the cost of electric? This is where I expect the members to grill me.
Thanks for reading everyone.
