Proper personal protective equipment is critical to the safety, health, and effectiveness of firefighters, yet many volunteer fire departments struggle to find the budget to provide their firefighters with adequate, up-to-date turnout gear. MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council team up each year to help volunteer departments meet this need through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. In 2024, 13 volunteer fire departments in the U.S. and Canada will be selected to receive four new sets of turnout gear and four new helmets each

Awards were made to the following departments in July, August, and September:

• Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department consists of 40 volunteer members who serve a population of 12,000 just six miles west of New York City. In addition to being responsible for distribution centers, warehouses, and two major highways, the department also oversees the top airport for private jet traffic in the country. Currently, over half of the department’s members use turnout gear that is more than 10 years old. This lack of gear has had detrimental impacts on training, operations, and response capabilities. It also means many crew members are not properly protected from the harmful toxins released from smoke, which could cause health issues down the line.
• Keating Rural Fire Protection District in Baker City, Oregon, may only serve a population of 155, but it is responsible for a vast 90,000-acre area consisting of rugged mountains, farmland, outdoor recreational areas, and a popular scenic byway. The department is made up entirely of volunteers, with a crew of 14 firefighters and six EMS providers. The number one priority of the department is to provide lifesaving services to the community while ensuring the highest degree of firefighter safety. However, their turnout gear is worn, torn, and outdated – most of it being more than 20 years old. While the need for new gear is great, revenue is limited as the district is solely subscription-based.
• Gander Bay Fire Department is located on the northeastern shore of Newfoundland and Labrador and serves seven small, rural communities that make up the area of Gander Bay. With very few businesses in the area, most of its population, including volunteer firefighters, have to travel for employment. Despite this the department enjoys strong community support, has an active junior firefighter program, and is able to recruit one to two new members every year aged 18-22. They also have six members that have been with the department for over 20 years. Out of 22 active volunteer firefighters, 10 are using gear that is more than 10 years old and no longer meets safety standards.
• Prater Fire and Rescue is an all-volunteer department in rural Buchanan County, VA. The 30 volunteers respond to over 250 calls per year, including fires, car accidents, hazmat incidents, flooding, and major disasters. A new school will be opening in 2025 combining all existing area high schools and holding over 2,500 students. Funding from the county is limited, and due to the low population and rural area fundraising is difficult. The department has been forced to make do with inadequate gear with eight members wearing gear that is over 10 years old and 12 members not having gear at all. The department is unable to take on any new members due to the lack of gear available.
• Cornettsville Fire Department is located in rural eastern Kentucky and recently reopened after three years with new leadership and members, and a resolve to work hard to strengthen the department to serve the community. A mountainous terrain makes traveling across the area difficult, and residences are scattered across the small community of 1,400 residents. The department has achieved a lot over the past months, including public fire prevention education, restoration of the fire station, cleaning the community park, and working on a Firewise awareness project to reduce wildfire risks. The department responds to structure and vehicle fires, vehicle crashes, wildfires, pipeline leaks, and other incidents. The department only has two sets of gear that are NFPA compliant. The rest of the 13 volunteers have to share outdated gear, which prevents them from participating in state fire training exercises, delays response times as firefighters have to find the right gear while rushing to get in route, and hinders response since no one with outdated gear can make an interior attack.
• Elmore Fire Department in Vermont protects a 39-square-mile area of forests, farms, private residences, a state park and mountain, a state paved road, and 38-miles of gravel roads. It also operates within the county mutual aid system, supporting critical infrastructure. The 14 volunteer firefighters respond to structure and vehicle fires, vehicle accidents, carbon monoxide and fire alarm investigations, wildfires, hazmat incidents, search and rescue including low-angle hazardous terrain mountain rescue, and cold-water rescue. In addition, they provide their community of 885 residents with fire prevention and safety education, emergency management, home inspections, and residential dry hydrant installation and yearly testing. Although four new members have joined in the past year, a tight budget and unexpected expenses have prevented the department from being able to purchase new gear for these members.

At MSA, our mission is to help keep people safe at work, and these types of partnerships are an important part of helping us fulfill our mission. This program with the National Volunteer Fire Council allows us to support our valuable volunteer firefighters so they can help keep their communities safe and be there when their neighbors are in need.