‘Firehouse’ partnership offers new equipment to South Frontenac firefighters

At the Firehouse Subs Kingston location, South Frontenac Fire and Rescue personnel modelled their new helmets yesterday, Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022. The new equipment was made possible by a grant from Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada.

According to a release from South Frontenac Township, the grant of $51,799 funded the purchase of 109 specialized firefighting helmets that feature integrated and retractable eye protection. The new helmets will increase protection for South Frontenac firefighters, allowing crews to respond to a wide range of emergencies in the community and ultimately improve the lifesaving capabilities of first responders when called into action, the Township stated.

“We are thankful to Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada and our local Firehouse Subs in Kingston for providing us with this invaluable funding,” said Deputy Fire Chief Alex Bennett. “Having the very best equipment means everything because in an emergency, every second counts. An added benefit is the potential for long-term cost savings, since their exceptional durability and performance means they don’t need to be replaced as often.”

South Frontenac Fire and Rescue has 110 volunteer (paid on-call) firefighters based out of eight different fire stations serving more than 20,000 residents in the Township of South Frontenac. The Township shared that last year, the service responded to 700 calls.

“We want to thank Firehouse Subs Foundation, their franchise owners and customers for supporting first responders in communities like ours,” said South Frontenac Township Mayor Ron Vandewal. “Thanks to their support, our firefighters now have the protective equipment they need so they can do their job to keep the residents of South Frontenac safe.”

The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada has awarded 279 grants to public safety organizations since 2015. The grant is one of 11 Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada grants awarded to public safety organizations during the most recent grant cycle. According to the release, the 11 grants will provide critical lifesaving equipment valued at more than $279,000 across Ontario.

To stay up to date with South Frontenac Fire & Rescue, follow them on Facebook at @SFFireandRescue.