Latest Winners of MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway are Volunteer Fire Departments in MT, TN
October 22, 2024
Safe and adequate personal protective equipment is essential to firefighters performing at their best. However, many volunteer fire departments lack the resources to purchase new gear, leaving them to function with old, torn, and non-compliant equipment. To help combat this issue, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has partnered with MSA Safety and DuPont Personal Protection to award 13 volunteer fire departments with new turnout gear and helmets in 2024.
Through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway program, which is now in its 13th year, a total of 715 sets of gear and 260 helmets have been awarded to 160 volunteer fire departments. As in previous years, the 2024 recipients are being announced monthly from July through December, and the first 500 applicants received a complimentary NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA.
Congratulations to the latest recipients: East Glacier Park (MT) Volunteer Fire Department and Samburg-Reelfoot Volunteer Fire Department (Hornbeak, TN). Each department will receive four new sets of Globe turnout gear and four MSA Cairns® fire helmets to provide protection to their volunteer firefighters. Learn about the latest recipients below.
East Glacier Park Volunteer Fire Department
Bordering the scenic Glacier National Park in Montana, East Glacier Park Volunteer Fire Department consists of 20 volunteers who are responsible for 1,500 square miles on the Blackfeet Nation. Within its vast response area, the department has responded to wildfires, highway accidents, and medical emergencies in remote areas. Members face unique challenges such as rough terrain, sub-zero temperatures, blizzards, and dangerous animals while responding to incidents.
The department also faces another key challenge: a lack of funding for new gear. Its volunteer firefighters have been training and responding to emergencies with ill-fitted and outdated gear – some don’t even have footwear that fit. This has jeopardized the safety of members, prolonged response times, and diminished overall effectiveness during emergencies.
With the donated gear, members “will be better equipped to handle a wide range of emergency situations, enhancing both their safety and performance on the front lines,” said the department’s safety officer, Amy Conrey Andreas. “This, in turn, translates to quicker response times, more effective incident management, and ultimately, better protection for our community.”
Samburg-Reelfoot Volunteer Fire Department
Located in rural western Tennessee, Samburg-Reelfoot Volunteer Fire Department is run by 10 active volunteers who serve a population of 10,000. Funding for the department comes from a single fundraising event every spring, making it difficult to cover operational expenses let alone new gear.
With an inadequate amount of gear, members have had to share helmets, boots, and gloves. The gear that they do have is at least 10 years old and in extremely poor condition – boots are duct taped, gloves are dried out, and turnouts are peeling. According to public education officer Chandra Davis, they “always help people no matter what we have or don’t have,” but it’s clear the donated gear will go a long way in improving volunteer safety, mobility, and effectiveness.
Additional awards will be made monthly throughout 2024. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook, X, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for additional information and announcements.
About Globe Manufacturing Company and MSA Safety
Globe Manufacturing Company, a leader in fire service protective clothing, is a subsidiary of MSA Safety Incorporated. MSA Safety Incorporated (NYSE: MSA) is the global leader in advanced safety products, technologies and solutions. Driven by its singular mission of safety, the Company has been at the forefront of safety innovation since 1914, protecting workers and facility infrastructure around the world across a broad range of diverse end markets while creating sustainable value for shareholders. With 2023 revenues of $1.8 billion, MSA Safety is headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania and employs a team of over 5,000 associates across its more than 40 international locations. For more information, please visit www.MSAsafety.com.
About DuPont Personal Protection
From first responders to industrial workers, DuPont provides a wide range of personal protection solutions, including some of the most trusted and innovative brands in the industry, such as Kevlar®, Nomex®, Tyvek® and Tychem® to meet your safety needs. More information can be found at personalprotection.dupont.com.
About DuPont
DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, healthcare and worker safety. More information about the company, its businesses and solutions can be found at www.dupont.com. Investors can access information included on the Investor Relations section of the website at investors.dupont.com.
DuPont™, the DuPont Oval Logo, and all products, unless otherwise noted, denoted with ™, ℠ or ® are trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks of affiliates of DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services. The NVFC serves as the voice of the volunteer in the national arena and provides critical resources, programs, education, and advocacy for first responders across the nation. Learn more at www.nvfc.org.
