Each year, MSA Safety Incorporated, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) partner to award volunteer fire departments much-needed personal protective equipment through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway.
Since the program began in 2012, 663 sets of turnout gear have been donated to 147 departments. In 2023, an additional 13 volunteer fire departments will be selected to each receive four new sets of turnout gear and four new helmets. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA.
The latest recipients of MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway are Potter (NE) Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department and Wasauksing (ON, Canada) Fire Department.
Potter Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department
The Potter Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department is located in rural, western Nebraska
The Potter Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department is located in rural, western Nebraska. The department is made up entirely of volunteers and serves 700 residents, as well as thousands of travelers, across 299 square miles.
Included in the department’s response radius are two major highways, one of which accommodates over 4,800 heavy commercial vehicles per day, and two rail lines that often carry hazardous materials.
In addition, 15 nearby departments rely on the Potter Volunteer Fire & Rescue Department for mutual aid.
Providing personal protective equipment (PPE)
The lack of adequate personal protective equipment has made it challenging for all volunteers to respond and help when needed. Members have been forced to sit on the sidelines not because they aren’t willing to help, but because their gear is too old and dangerous.
“Being able to provide every member with the proper gear will make a significant difference in the department’s capabilities,” says Chief Mark Onstott, adding “Each incident is different and may require all hands on deck to save life and property.”
Wasauksing Fire Department
Thirty-thousand islands surround Parry Sound in Ontario, Canada
Thirty-thousand islands surround Parry Sound in Ontario, Canada. Wasauksing Fire Department is located on one of them. The small, First Nation department consists of 16 members, 15 of which are volunteers. It averages 100 calls per year, serving a population of 420 in the off-season, and up to 1,500 during the on-season.
According to Chief Tyler Olmstead, the fire department is under-funded and under-equipped, relying on surrounding departments to stay afloat. The gear currently being used is damaged and more than 10 years old, which poses major safety concerns for training and real emergency situations.
Donating PPE and turnout gear
However, Chief Olmstead is determined to make the small department self-sufficient, and this donation will help make that possible.
Chief Tyler Olmstead said, “(This donation) will ensure that four of my firefighters will be covered for 10 years of gear life and can have that added level of safety while helping their neighbors.”
Additional awards will be made monthly throughout 2023.