The MSA’s 2019 Globe Gear Giveaway has hit $1 million dollars in donations since 2012.
This program has offered 13 volunteer fire departments with much-needed, new, personal protective equipment (PPE) sets, provided by MSA, DuPont and the National Volunteer Fire Council.
Four sets of state-of-the-art turnout gear with four helmets were given to each department in order to offer better protection to each of the members.
This year has marked over $1 million worth of protective equipment and apparel that has been donated to volunteer fire departments in need since 2012, equating to 507 sets of turnout gear have been awarded to 108 departments.
Eleni Lucido, Vice President and General Manager of MSA’s business in the U.S. and Canada stated, ‘Protecting firefighters is what we do at MSA. For more than a century we’ve been committed to providing workers all around the world with the equipment they need to help keep them safe. We’re proud to partner with the NVFC to provide state-of-the-art turnout gear to departments in need.’
The NVFC Chair, Steve Hirsch, added, ‘Volunteer fire departments often struggle to fund the resources and equipment necessary to do their jobs safely and effectively. We are grateful for the generosity of MSA, Globe and DuPont in providing critical, lifesaving gear to the dedicated volunteers who serve their local communities. Through this incredible program, we have been able to increase the safety and protection for hundreds of firefighters throughout the U.S. and Canada.’
72% of fire departments reported that some of their personal protective equipment was at least 10 years old and 13% of departments are not equipped with the necessary amount of personal protective clothing for their emergency responders, as reported from a needs assessment that has been published by the National Fire Protection Association in 2016.
The NVFC began to ask program applicants if their department had boots, gloves, helmets and hoods for all of their firefighters in 2018, with nearly 50% of recipients sharing that they did not have these resources.
MSA addressed this issue by donating four helmets to each winning department for the first time in 2019 and are prepared to continue to do so in 2020.
The recipients for the 2019 MSA Globe Gear Giveaway are:
- Aguila (AZ) Volunteer Fire Department
- Balsam-Willets-Ochre Hill Volunteer Fire Department (Sylva, NC)
- Canal Fulton (OH) Fire Department
- Fuego Volunteer Fire Company (Billings, MT)
- Harbour Grace (NL, Canada) Volunteer Fire Brigade
- Jacobstown (NJ) Fire Company
- Kenduskeag (ME) Fire Rescue
- Rocky Creek Volunteer Fire Department (Burton, TX)
- Rutland Volunteer Fire Company (Black River, NY)
- Salcha (AK) Fire & Rescue
- Stella Rural Fire Department (Rocky Comfort, MO)
- Utica (MS) Volunteer Fire Department
- Witt (IL) Volunteer Fire Department
In order to be eligible for the 2019 Giveaway, departments had to be over 50% volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be located in the U.S. or Canada, be a member of the NVFC and demonstrate a significant need for new gear.
MSA provided complimentary NVFC membership to the first 500 applicants to support departments meet the membership requirement.
The application period for MSA’s 2020 Globe Gear Giveaway will open in February, with thirteen departments receiving four new sets of turnout gear along with helmets.
Stay tuned to the NVFC website and Dispatch newsletter for details.
And for more information on all the full press release, please visit https://www.firehouse.com/safety-health/ppe/press-release/21120380/firefighter-turnout-gear-globe-manufacturing-ppe-gear-giveaway-reaches-1-million-milestone-firefighters
