Fire Departments in Virginia and Saskatchewan Awarded Turnouts and Helmets through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway
September 30, 2025
Congratulations to the latest recipients of MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway: Council Volunteer Fire Department in Honaker, VA, and 737 Fire and Rescue in Saskatchewan, Canada. Each department will receive four new sets of Globe® turnout gear and four MSA Cairns® fire helmets to provide protection to their volunteer firefighters.
Each year, MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) partner to award volunteer fire departments much-needed personal protective equipment through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. In 2025, 13 departments will receive gear, with announcements being made monthly between July and December. MSA also provided the first 500 applicants with a complimentary membership in the NVFC. Since the program began in 2012, the giveaway program has awarded 767 sets of gear and 312 helmets to 173 volunteer fire departments in need.
Learn more about the program at www.nvfc.org/gear. Read about the latest recipients below.
Council Volunteer Fire Department
Located in Honaker, Virginia, the Council Volunteer Fire Department protects 74 square miles and serves a population of 3,377 across the communities of Council and Davenport. The department’s 25 volunteers respond to an average of 56 calls each year, including vehicle incidents, smoke reports, and structure fires.
The department struggles with scarce funding opportunities and a minimal county budget, which has been further constrained by the construction of a new high school. Currently, 15 volunteers lack assigned turnout gear, while nine are using gear that is more than 10 years old. Only one set of gear in the department meets current safety standards.
“We require members to be certified within a year of acceptance, but without compliant gear, they cannot safely perform their duties,” said department secretary Matthew Austin. “New gear would relieve a tremendous financial burden and allow our dedicated members to serve our community to the best of their ability.”
737 Fire and Rescue
737 Fire and Rescue serves a rural region of southeast Saskatchewan, Canada, covering 648 square miles and a population of 495. The department’s 57 volunteers respond to around 20 calls annually, including wildland fires, defensive structure fires, rescues, and mutual aid requests from neighboring jurisdictions. Originally formed in 2014 as a wildland firefighting unit, the department expanded in 2024 to include fire and rescue services as changing agricultural practices increased the community’s fire risk.
The department operates with a revenue that doesn’t meet its expenses, making it difficult to keep up with equipment needs. Much of their turnout gear is past its intended lifespan and was donated secondhand from other agencies. Twenty-eight volunteers are currently without assigned gear, and the department only has six SCBA units to cover its entire roster.
“Our equipment, though serviceable, is expired, which is concerning both on scene and during training,” explained purchasing manager David Pattyson. “New gear would allow us to begin a much-needed replacement program, standardize our equipment, and ensure our members are protected.”
Additional awards will be made monthly throughout 2025. 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 2024 revenues of $1.8 billion, MSA Safety is headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania and employs a team of more than 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.
