MSA & DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway Marks 10 Years of Protecting Firefighters

January 11, 2022

In 2021, MSA, DuPont, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) provided 13 volunteer fire departments with much needed personal protective equipment through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway program. Each department received four sets of new, state-of-the-art turnout gear along with four helmets to better protect their members. In addition, the first 500 applicants received a complimentary membership to the NVFC, courtesy of MSA.

This was the 10th year of the gear giveaway. The program initially launched in 2012 to commemorate Globe’s 125th anniversary. To date, 611 sets of gear have been donated to 134 departments. MSA added helmets to the program in 2019 after a survey of program recipients found that 50 percent did not have enough for their members. Since the program began, over $1 million worth of gear has been provided to volunteer fire departments in need across the U.S. and Canada to better protect their firefighters and communities.

“As we mark 10 years of this program, the NVFC is proud to continue our partnership with MSA and DuPont to provide volunteer fire departments in the U.S. and Canada with much-needed turnout gear and helmets,” said NVFC chair Steve Hirsch. “Finding the funds to purchase new gear and equipment poses a major challenge to many volunteer fire departments, especially now as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. Through this program, we have been able to make sure hundreds of firefighters have the gear they need to respond safely and effectively.”

“On behalf of thousands of our DuPont Personal Protection employees in North America, we have been honored to support this initiative since its inception in 2012,” said Jeff Fackler, North American business development director at DuPont Personal Protection. “We are committed to continually innovate improving durable thermal and particulate protection, while reducing heat stress of the entire PPE system, including station wear and gear for our firefighters. We are delighted that our collaboration with Globe and the NVFC continues to enable more departments to get access to these newer technologies.”

According to a U.S. fire service needs assessment released by the National Fire Protection Association in December 2021, nearly two thirds of fire departments reported that some of their personal protective clothing was at least 10 years old, and among the smallest departments that number jumped to 76 percent. In addition, 13 percent of departments do not have enough personal protective clothing for all of their emergency responders, with the greatest need among departments staffed primarily by volunteer firefighters.

The recipients in the 2021 gear giveaway are as follows:

To be eligible to apply for the giveaway, departments had to be over 50 percent volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be located in the U.S. or Canada and legally organized under state/province law, be a member of the NVFC, and demonstrate significant need for new gear. MSA provided NVFC memberships to the first 500 applicants to help departments meet the membership requirement.

The application period for MSA and DuPont’s 2022 Globe Gear Giveaway will open in February. Thirteen departments will each receive four new sets of turnout gear along with four helmets to increase firefighter safety. Stay tuned to the NVFC web site, Dispatch newsletter, and Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages, as well as the Globe Facebook page, for details.

About MSA
Established in 1914, MSA Safety Incorporated is the global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures. Many MSA products integrate a combination of electronics, mechanical systems and advanced materials to protect users against hazardous or life-threatening situations. The company’s comprehensive product line is used by workers around the world in a broad range of markets, including the oil, gas and petrochemical industry, the fire service, the construction industry, mining and the military. MSA’s core products include self-contained breathing apparatus, fixed gas and flame detection systems, portable gas detection instruments, industrial head protection products, firefighter helmets and protective apparel, and fall protection devices. With 2020 revenues of $1.35 billion, MSA employs approximately 5,200 people worldwide. The company is headquartered north of Pittsburgh in Cranberry Township, Pa., and has manufacturing operations in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. With more than 40 international locations, MSA realizes approximately half of its revenue from outside North America. For more information visit MSA’s web site at www.MSAsafety.com.

About DuPont Water & Protection
DuPont Water and Protection is a global leader in creating water, shelter and safety solutions for a more sustainable world; enabling its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale and iconic brands including Kevlar®, Nomex®, Tyvek®, Corian® Design, GreatStuff™, Styrofoam™, and FilmTec™.

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.