| Cosalt Workwear has supplied firefighting and rescue kits to UK fire brigades for many years |
Cosalt Workwear has collected over £100k of decommissioned firefighting kit so that it can be donated to charity.
Cosalt is one of the UK's leading providers of protective clothing and equipment to the emergency services, military, transport and construction industries.
Hundreds of protective fire suits, helmets, gloves and boots that are no longer of use to the UK fire and rescue services have now been sent to less well off countries in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and South America via Operation Florian, a UK Fire Service Humanitarian Charity.
Cosalt has also donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to Harvest Plus, an Essex-based charity that recently raised funds to buy a fire engine for the town of Lom in Bulgaria.
Said Pete Dawson, Cosalt Workwear's Operations & Managed Services Director: "Rather than send decommissioned kit to landfill it makes sense to donate it to the many fire brigades around the world who cannot afford to buy new equipment. Fire fighters in these countries are typically wearing day-to-day clothes for fighting fires so they are pleased to receive anything that will help increase their protection levels.
Operation Florian was set up in 1995 to promote the protection of life amongst communities in need by providing equipment and training to improve local fire fighting and rescue capabilities. It is involved in numerous projects and operates in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Cosalt's last collection of decommissioned equipment filled over 100 pallets.
For many years, Cosalt has been one of the main suppliers of structural fire fighting and rescue kit to the majority of UK fire brigades. "Given our long-standing relationships with the fire and rescue services, we are in the best position to collect unwanted items and liaise directly with the charities concerned to pass on the donation," added Pete.