Apply for Wildland Gear for Your Fire Department
September 8, 2026
Having the right gear for the right response is important to offer the best protection to your responders. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Ricochet are pleased to partner for the Ricochet PPE Award Program to equip departments in need with gear tailored to the real-world demands of the calls they run.
The September application period is open from September 1 through noon ET on September 30. Eligible fire departments can apply for Ricochet Wildland Gear (jacket and pant) to enhance responder safety and operational effectiveness. Five departments will be awarded five sets of gear each.
To be eligible, departments must meet the following criteria:
- Annually respond to wildfires (includes grassfires/brushfires)
- Have at least one active NVFC member
- Be over 50% volunteer; paid on-call is considered volunteer
- Serve a population of 25,000 or less
- Be located in the U.S. and legally organized under state law
- Demonstrate a need for the gear
Ricochet Wildland Gear is UL Certified to NFPA 1950 (NFPA 1977) – 2025 Edition. Developed from direct firefighter feedback, this lightweight, breathable system is built to reduce heat stress, improve mobility, and limit unnecessary exposure during wildland and WUI operations so firefighters are not overbuilt for the job at hand.
Learn more and apply at www.nvfc.org/ricochet.
This is the second of three application periods. The August application period was for Ricochet Out Front™ Technical Rescue Gear, and the October application period will be for Ricochet Wildland + Technical Rescue Dual-Cert Gear. Applying for and/or being awarded one type of gear does not make you ineligible to apply for another.
