Anheuser-Busch, together with its wholesaler partners and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), will provide another one million cans of clean drinking water to volunteer fire departments that respond to wildfires.
Through the Emergency Drinking Water for Wildland Firefighters program, 1.5 million cans were allocated to over 600 departments during a previous application period in March. This addition means over 1,000 departments will receive 2.5 million cans of water in 2023.
Hydration is critical for firefighters
Hydration is critical for firefighters, especially those battling wildfires and other crises
Hydration is critical for firefighters, especially those battling wildfires and other crises in scorching heat. Yet with many volunteer departments struggling with minimal budgets, obtaining necessities like clean drinking water can be a challenge.
Since Anheuser-Busch first partnered with the NVFC in 2019, more than nine million cans of water have been donated to 2,500 departments, providing over one million dollars in cost savings for local departments.
Anheuser-Busch and NVFC partnership
The application period will be open from August 1 – August 15, 2023. Departments must respond to wildfires annually, be over 50 percent volunteer, and serve a population of 25,000 or less to qualify. Departments approved to receive the water during the first application period (March 15 – March 31, 2023) are not eligible to apply.
The emergency drinking water is sourced from Anheuser-Busch’s breweries in Cartersville, Georgia (GA), and Fort Collins, Colorado (CO), which periodically pause beer production to can clean, safe drinking water to support disaster relief efforts in partnership with the American Red Cross and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC).