Volunteer Fire Departments in NJ, KY Awarded New Sets of Gear to Enhance Firefighter Safety
August 25, 2026
MSA Safety, Nomex® and Kevlar® for Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) annually partner to help volunteer fire departments enhance their readiness with a donation of new Globe® turnout gear and MSA Cairns® helmets. The Andover Borough Fire Department (Andover, NJ) and the Goldbug Volunteer Fire Department (Williamsburg, KY) are the latest recipients in MSA’s Globe Gear Giveaway. Each will receive four sets of turnout gear and four helmets.
Volunteer fire departments protect their communities from emergencies of all kinds, including structure and wildland fires, vehicle accidents, medical emergencies, hazmat incidents, natural disasters, and more. Yet many of these departments operate on small budgets that limit the gear and equipment they are able to purchase. MSA’s Globe Gear Giveaway helps address this need by providing departments with new gear to better protect their responders and improve their response capabilities.
In total, 52 sets of gear and helmets will be awarded to 13 volunteer fire departments in 2026. Since the program began in 2012, more than $2 million worth of gear has been donated, helping to ensure volunteer firefighters have the protection they need to serve their communities.
Read about the latest recipients below, and stay tuned to the NVFC website and newsletter for monthly announcements throughout the year.
Andover Borough Fire Department
The Andover Borough Fire Department serves a small community of 600 residents in New Jersey. However, due to a major highway running through town, the department responds to emergencies from a daily population of over 50,000, including many motor vehicle accidents. With an annual revenue of only $10,000 a year, the department is not able to supply its 12 volunteer firefighters with updated gear, which presents safety risks for the responders and limits what they are able to do.
The four new sets of gear and helmets will increase the number of Adover firefighters that are ready and able to respond to incidents. It also enables the department to focus its funding on other necessities, like equipment and truck repairs.
Goldbug Volunteer Fire Department
The Goldbug Volunteer Fire Department in Williamsburg, KY, is comprised of 25 active volunteer firefighters serving a 65-square mile area and approximately 5,000 residents. With a major highway and 150 calls a year, responders are kept busy with structure fires, wildland fires, motor vehicle accidents, and medical calls. All of the responders are currently relying on gear that is outdated, and some members are forced to share or use ill-fitting equipment. These factors decrease the effectiveness of the gear, increase chances of injury, and limit the department’s ability to respond with full staffing.
The donation of the new gear will enable the department to provide better emergency response to their community. “Receiving new personal protective equipment can have a very real, practical impact on both a small rural department like the Goldbug, KY, fire department and the people it serves. It’s not just about buying gear – it directly improves safety, response capability, and community resilience,” said Fire Chief Nick Pfoutz.
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 2025 revenues of $1.9 billion, MSA Safety is headquartered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania and employs a team of more than 5,300 associates across its more than 40 international locations. For more information, please visit www.MSAsafety.com.
About Arclin
Arclin is a leading materials science company and manufacturer of polymer technologies, engineered products, and specialized materials for the construction, agriculture, transportation infrastructure, weather & fire protection, pharmaceutical, nutrition, electronics, design, and other industries. Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Arclin has offices and manufacturing facilities across North & South America, Europe, and Asia and serves customers worldwide.
Arclin’s lineup of Fire & Safety products—including Nomex® and Kevlar®—create a superior thermal barrier, ensuring long-term reliability for life-saving applications and high-stakes environments. For more information, please visit https://www.arclin.com/industries/fire-safety/.
Kevlar® and Nomex® are registered trademarks of Arclin.
About the NVFC
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is the leading nonprofit membership association representing the interests of the volunteer fire and emergency medical services. The NVFC unites and supports volunteer and combination fire and EMS organizations through education, advocacy, leadership development, and collaboration. Guided by professionalism and innovation, we provide the tools and resources needed to protect communities, advance responder health and safety, and prepare leaders for the future. Learn more and join at www.nvfc.org.
