Globe PPE Awarded to Fire Departments in Indiana and Virginia

Globe, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have partnered to give away sets of  Globe gear to fire departments in need in honor of Globe’s 125th anniversary this year. The latest recipients are Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department, Gentryville, Indiana, which will receive 12 sets of gear; and Bolar Volunteer Fire Department, Monterey, VA, which will receive eight sets of gear.

The Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department serves a 29-square-mile area in Spencer County, Indiana, that includes a national memorial and state park that are visited by more than 100,000 people annually. In addition, the department provides mutual aid to two neighboring departments.

With a low operating budget that only covers insurance, fuel, and maintenance, the department struggles to raise money to pay for equipment and gear. Recent budget cuts in Indiana have made local government assistance to purchase new gear impossible, and the department has had limited success applying for grants to support this need.

“Our current turnout gear is old and many of the coats and pants are badly worn or damaged,” said Captain Mark Spellmeyer in the application. “We would greatly benefit from receiving this donation of gear because it would increase our firefighters’ safety by providing them with adequate gear to wear.”

The Bolar Volunteer Fire Department is located in Highland County, VA. The rural community includes a large mountainous territory and cattle and sheep farms. With no funding to obtain gear, the firefighters must wear old gear donated by another department that has long outlasted its intended lifespan.

“We are trying desperately to get our members in gear that is safe and meets the current NFPA standard,” said former Training Officer Jasper Miller. “We need turnout gear in the worst way.”

The donation of new sets of Globe gear will go far in ensuring that the members of Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Department and Bolar Volunteer Fire Department are protected and ready to respond.

For more information, visit www.globeturnoutgear.com.