In collaboration with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), MSA Safety and DuPont Personal Protection provided 52 sets of turnout jackets, pants, and helmets to 13 volunteer fire departments across the U.S. and Canada in 2024.
This annual program also offered NVFC memberships to the first 500 applicants, a benefit sponsored by MSA. The initiative addresses the urgent need for compliant safety gear among departments with limited budgets.
Since 2012, the program has distributed over 767 sets of gear and 312 helmets to 173 departments, totaling more than $2 million in donations.
Volunteer fire departments often operate with constrained budgets, leaving them reliant on outdated or insufficient protective equipment. The Globe Gear Giveaway program helps address these challenges.
NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch highlighted the importance of supporting volunteer firefighters: “Volunteer firefighters are the backbone of their communities, answering the call whenever their neighbors have an emergency.
“And yet many departments lack the funding to provide up-to-date personal protective equipment for their responders.
“We are proud to partner with MSA and DuPont each year to help meet this need and enhance the safety of our boots on the ground firefighters.”
Stephanie Vrakas, NA marketing manager at DuPont Personal Protection, added: “DuPont is honored to continue supporting the Globe Gear Giveaway program, which plays a crucial role in providing essential safety equipment to volunteer firefighters across the United States and Canada.”
The program is open to volunteer fire departments in the U.S. and Canada that serve populations of 25,000 or fewer. Departments must also demonstrate significant financial need and be legally organized under state or provincial law.
The individual applying or the department chief must hold an NVFC membership, which MSA provides free of charge to the first 500 applicants.
The 13 departments benefiting from the 2024 program include:
MSA Safety and DuPont Personal Protection, in partnership with the NVFC, donated 52 sets of turnout gear and helmets to 13 volunteer fire departments in 2024.
This annual program, active since 2012 and re-opening in February, has distributed more than $2 million worth of life-saving equipment to 173 departments across the U.S. and Canada.
Eligible departments must demonstrate financial need and meet specific criteria. Applications for the 2025 program open in February, with details available on NVFC’s website and social media platforms.
