BALTIMORE — For many people, the kitchen is an essential part of the home. It's no different at the Locust Point Fire Department, where crews spend hours on end when they're not fighting fires.
The problem is that their kitchen hasn't seen any improvements in over 20 years.
Domino Sugar donated $60,000 to renovate the kitchen.
“This room, maybe the kitchen? About half of our day, this is where all the world's problems are solved,” said Lt. Kevin Hubb of the Locust Point Fire Department.
But an inefficient and dilapidated kitchen made cooking difficult.
“At one point we had to use the boat's paddle to close the door to keep the heat sealed,” Hubbe said.
They had problems like residential-style cabinets, multiple broken ovens, and worst of all, rats.
“Rice were a big problem here. There were rats in the cabinets as well as in the drop ceiling,” Hubbe said.
After a four-month firefighter-led renovation, the crew is living a life of luxury. Features a brand new oven, stainless steel appliances, spacious island, and upgraded refrigerator.
None of this would have been possible without Domino Sugar's donations. Back in 2021, their factory suffered a fire that lasted several days.
The Locust Point crew never departed.
“They were there for at least a few days. They always answered the phone,” said Peter O'Malley of Domino Sugar.
Mr. O'Malley recognized the sacrifice and wanted to give back to the groups that always seek service.
“I run into them all the time at the grocery store. At lunchtime, I see them shopping, so it's nice to know they have a good kitchen to come back to, too,” O'Malley said. said.
The crew were all smiling and looking forward to the food they were about to prepare, the conversations they had, and the time they spent in the clean, modern kitchen.
This station hasn't had one in 21 years.
