Arcwood Donates Lifesaving Tool to East Liverpool Fire Department 2026

Key Points

• Arcwood Environmental has provided a new Genesis Combi Tool for the East Liverpool Fire Department located in Ohio.
• This tool is designed to perform cutting and spreading functions at once.
• This will enable firefighters to use it when responding to vehicle accidents, fires, forced entry, and other rescue emergencies.
• East Liverpool Fire Chief Antony Cumo said that it would enhance the rescue capacity of the department.
• This tool will be mounted in the large fire engine; however, smaller rescue tools will continue to be mounted on the tankers.
• It should be mentioned that this is not the first time the department gets such equipment because currently, the department is replacing its rescue equipment.
• In particular, the fire department has acquired spreaders and cutters, which are also called the “Jaws of Life” due to the grant.
• Kade Reynolds, community engagement manager at Arcwood Environmental, said that the donation symbolizes the “Lead with Safety” value of the company.
• According to East Liverpool Mayor Bobby Smith, it would provide firefighters with better equipment to protect citizens.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) September 11, 2026 — Arcwood Environmental donated a new Genesis Combi Tool to the East Liverpool Fire Department, providing firefighters with a compact rescue device that can both cut and spread materials during emergency operations. The equipment is intended to give first responders greater flexibility when dealing with vehicle accidents, fires, forced-entry calls and other situations requiring specialised rescue tools.

The donation gives the department an additional option alongside its existing rescue equipment. Unlike tools designed to perform only one primary function, the Genesis Combi Tool combines cutting and spreading capabilities in a single unit. That design can allow firefighters to select a more compact piece of equipment when responding to emergencies where access, space or speed is important.

The East Liverpool Fire Department received the equipment from Arcwood Environmental, a local waste-management company. The donation was presented as part of the company’s support for local emergency responders and its broader relationship with the city.

What did the fire chief say about the new tool?

As reported by the Review Online, East Liverpool Fire Chief Antony Cumo said the Genesis Combi Tool would be a significant asset for the department. He identified several potential uses, including fires, motor-vehicle accidents and forced-entry operations.

Cumo said the new device would be used alongside tools the department already has, including equipment that performs either cutting or spreading functions. The department’s existing rescue equipment includes spreaders and cutters commonly referred to as the “Jaws of Life”.

“We appreciate Arcwood Environmental for their donation of the Genesis Combi Tool,” Cumo said, according to the Review Online.

“This helps us tremendously, as we have been in the process of replacing our rescue tools over the past few years.”

The chief said the department had previously replaced its spreaders and cutters through a grant. The new combi tool is intended to add versatility rather than replace all of the department’s existing equipment.

“This new tool is extremely versatile because it performs both functions and gives us a more compact option when needed,”

Cumo said.

“There is no doubt this tool will help us save lives in our community,”

according to the newspaper’s report.

Where will the donated equipment be used?

The new Genesis Combi Tool will be assigned to the department’s large fire engine. Smaller rescue tools will continue to be used on the department’s tankers, according to the Review Online.

The equipment arrangement gives firefighters access to rescue tools across different vehicles. The placement of the new tool on the larger engine means it will be available with the unit expected to carry major rescue equipment. At the same time, the continued use of smaller tools on tankers preserves equipment availability when those vehicles are dispatched.

The department’s ability to cut or pry materials can be relevant in several types of emergency response. After a road collision, firefighters may need to create or widen an opening in a damaged vehicle. In other incidents, they may need to remove obstructions or gain access through a structure. The donated tool is designed to support both cutting and spreading in such circumstances.

What are the Genesis Combi Tool’s main capabilities?

Kade Reynolds, community engagement manager for Arcwood Environmental, described the equipment as combining “cutting and spreading capabilities into one compact unit”, according to the Review Online.

The two functions are important because extrication work can require firefighters to alter damaged metal or create space around a trapped person. A cutting function can help separate or remove material, while a spreading function can create room or widen an opening. A combination tool brings those functions together instead of requiring firefighters to use two separate tools for every operation.

The department will still retain dedicated rescue equipment. However, the combi tool provides another option for incidents where a smaller or multifunctional device may be more practical. Its value will depend on the circumstances of each emergency, the vehicle or structure involved and the department’s operational procedures.

WFMJ reported that Arcwood’s donation gives firefighters additional flexibility during emergency rescue situations. The station’s report described the equipment as a lifesaving tool because it can be used in situations where rapid access is required.

Why did Arcwood Environmental make the donation?

Reynolds said the investment reflected Arcwood Environmental’s “Lead with Safety” principle. According to the Review Online, the company considers the protection of human health and safety central to its work.

The donation also reflects what Reynolds described as a growing partnership between Arcwood Environmental and the City of East Liverpool. He said firefighters respond during some of the most difficult moments faced by people in the community.

Reynolds said Arcwood was honoured to provide resources or equipment when it had the opportunity to help local first responders operate effectively and safely. His comments linked the equipment donation to both the company’s stated safety values and its relationship with the community where it operates.

Arcwood’s own announcement, published on the company’s website, said the company purchased and donated the Genesis Combi Tool to provide local first responders with an important piece of rescue equipment. The company dated the announcement September 2, 2026.

The donation therefore involved more than the transfer of a piece of machinery. It also connected a local company’s safety-focused corporate programme with a public fire department’s continuing equipment needs.

What did East Liverpool’s mayor say?

Mayor Bobby Smith attended the presentation of the tool and expressed appreciation for Arcwood Environmental’s investment, according to the Review Online.

“This gives the professionals in our fire department even better tools to serve our community,” Smith said. He added that making people safer was beneficial for everyone and aligned with the work Arcwood carries out.

Smith’s comments placed the donation within the wider responsibility of local institutions and businesses to support public safety. The fire department’s equipment is used by trained professionals, but the intended beneficiaries are residents who may require emergency assistance.

The mayor’s presence at the presentation also demonstrated the city’s official recognition of the donation. The reports reviewed for this article did not indicate that the city had purchased the equipment or that the donation changed the department’s staffing or response arrangements.

How does the donation fit the department’s equipment replacement programme?

The donation arrives while the East Liverpool Fire Department is replacing rescue tools. Cumo said the department had already replaced its spreaders and cutters through a grant, but it still needed equipment capable of performing multiple functions.

The Genesis Combi Tool adds a compact alternative to those dedicated tools. It does not eliminate the need for the department’s existing equipment, which can remain available for operations requiring specialised cutting or spreading performance.

The department’s approach indicates that the donation is part of a broader effort to maintain and modernise rescue equipment. Grants and private donations can supplement public resources, particularly when emergency departments need to replace expensive specialist equipment over time.

The reports do not state the monetary value of the donated tool, the exact model specification, its operating weight or the training schedule for firefighters. They also do not say how often the equipment is expected to be deployed.

What information has been reported by different media outlets?

WFMJ reported that Arcwood Environmental donated the Genesis Combi Tool to the East Liverpool Fire Department and emphasised the greater flexibility provided by combining cutting and spreading functions in one device.

The Review Online provided additional details, including comments from Chief Antony Cumo, Kade Reynolds and Mayor Bobby Smith. Its report also stated where the equipment would be assigned and explained that the department had previously replaced its “Jaws of Life” tools through a grant.

Arcwood Environmental’s corporate announcement described the donation as the purchase and presentation of new rescue equipment for East Liverpool’s first responders.

The available reports identify the principal participants as Arcwood Environmental, the East Liverpool Fire Department, Chief Antony Cumo, community engagement manager Kade Reynolds and Mayor Bobby Smith. The published coverage does not identify an individual author for the WFMJ report in the accessible article text. The Review Online report is attributed here to the publication because the retrieved article content did not display a byline.

Background of the development

The East Liverpool Fire Department is receiving the Genesis Combi Tool during an ongoing process of replacing and expanding its rescue equipment. The department previously secured a grant to replace dedicated spreaders and cutters, equipment widely known as the “Jaws of Life”. The new donation adds a multifunctional tool that can cut and spread, giving firefighters another option for rescue operations.

Arcwood Environmental’s donation is part of its stated “Lead with Safety” approach. The company presented the contribution as support for local first responders and as an example of cooperation between the company and East Liverpool. The equipment will be carried on the department’s large engine, while smaller rescue tools will remain on tankers.

Prediction: How could this affect East Liverpool residents?

The donation is likely to improve the range of equipment available to East Liverpool firefighters during vehicle crashes, fires, forced-entry calls and other emergencies requiring cutting or spreading. It may give crews a compact alternative when they need to create access quickly or work in a restricted area.

The equipment is not expected to change the department’s response times or guarantee a particular outcome in an emergency. Its practical effect will depend on firefighter training, maintenance, deployment decisions and the nature of each incident.

For residents, the most direct potential benefit is an additional rescue capability within the local fire department. The tool may also support the department’s wider equipment-replacement programme by supplementing dedicated rescue tools already obtained through grants and assigned across its emergency vehicles.