MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are helping volunteer fire departments obtain much-needed gear through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. This annual program, which began in 2012, has to date provided 611 sets of turnout gear to 134 departments.
turnout gear and helmets
In 2022, 13 departments will receive four new sets of turnout gear and four new helmets each to help enhance the safety of their firefighters. The first 500 applicants also received a one-year NVFC membership, courtesy of MSA.
The most recent recipients of MSA and DuPont’s 2022 Globe Gear Giveaway are the Delta (UT) Fire Department and Northport (WA) Fire and Rescue.
Delta Fire Department
DFD responds to an average of 130 calls annually in addition to providing automatic aid for smaller departments
Located in rural central Utah, the Delta Fire Department (DFD) is an all-volunteer department composed of 28 members. Serving a population of approximately 6,000 over 5,600 square miles, DFD responds to an average of 130 calls annually in addition to providing automatic aid for seven surrounding smaller departments.
DFD’s service area includes critical infrastructure such as schools, post offices, airports, a beryllium refining plant, a coal-powered power plant supplying power for much of Los Angeles County (CA), and other large industrial facilities. Despite this, most of DFD’s turnout gear is over 20 years old and no longer NFPA-compliant.
Fire protection
With much of their budget going towards other necessities, they are unable to purchase new gear without making cuts elsewhere.
“Not only will this gear be a benefit for our department and community, but also the surrounding area and communities we help provide fire protection to,” said captain Bryan Christensen. “This will help provide the needed gear to help safely outfit people for any incidents that we may face.”
Northport Fire and Rescue
The department also provides EMS over a 200-square-mile service area
Northport Fire and Rescue (NFR) is an all-volunteer department located in the rural northeastern corner of Washington state. Their 15 volunteers serve a population of approximately 295 over 100 square miles, responding to an average of 150 to 200 calls annually.
In addition to their regular service area, NFR provides automatic aid to a neighboring fire district and mutual aid to two other fire districts for wildland and structural fires. The department also provides EMS over a 200-square-mile service area.
Ready for response
Despite this heavy workload, all 15 of NFR’s volunteers are equipped with gear that is more than 10 years old and therefore no longer NFPA-compliant. Financial constraints mean that the department is unable to purchase new gear and other personal protective equipment for its members.
The donation of four sets of new Globe turnout gear and four MSA helmets will go a long way in ensuring the NFR firefighters are protected and ready for response. Additional awards will be made monthly throughout 2022.
