BALTIMORE — Continuing its mission of supporting hometown heroes, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation presented $63,899 worth of life-saving equipment grants to four local first responder organizations on Thursday, October 5, 2017 at the Garrison Forest Firehouse Subs restaurant located at 10359 Reisterstown Road in Owings Mills, Maryland.
After the donation ceremony, live demonstrations were held by the receiving organizations, explaining the importance of the equipment and how it will be used to save lives. Owings Mills residents and invited Firehouse Subs guests had the opportunity to see firsthand how their generous contributions have come full circle to provide much needed equipment in their community.
“It feels great to be able to give back to those who put their lives on the line everyday to protect us,” said Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Senior Manager of Foundation Development Meghan Vargas. “People don’t realize first responders often lack the funds needed to purchase new equipment. We’re thankful for generous contributions from donors that allow us to provide this assistance through the Foundation.”
The below encapsulates grant awards being celebrated at the Oct. 5 event, including a brief description of equipment use and value:
• Gamber & Community Fire Company, Hereford Volunteer Ambulance Association and Fallston Volunteer Fire and Ambulance each received a chest compression system worth a combined $39,240. The awarded devices will assist first responders by delivering uninterrupted chest compressions at a constant rate and depth to cardiac arrest patients, helping improve a patient’s chance of survival.
•Pikesville Volunteer Fire Department received a variety of stabilization equipment valued at $24,659, including Res-Q-Jack car kits, struts, add-on jacks and extensions. The awarded equipment will be utilized during motor vehicle accidents, allowing firefighters to safely extricate victims and provide life-saving assistance. The department responds to between 40 and 50 vehicle extrications each year, with 10 to 15 percent requiring strut stabilization.
Present at the event were: local first responders, as well as Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Senior Manager of Foundation Development Meghan Vargas, Firehouse Subs Area Representative Dan Lowe and the following Firehouse Subs franchisees: Dexter White, Camille Hammond, Jason Hammond, Ayaz Moledina, Timothy Padilla and Isaac Ralston.
Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Firehouse Subs co-founders, Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, traveled to Mississippi where they provided food to first responders and survivors. As they traveled back to Florida, they knew they could do more and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was born with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. Since its inception, the non-profit organization has granted more than $29.5 million to hometown heroes in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, including more than $430,000 in Maryland.
Each restaurant recycles leftover, five-gallon buckets, available to guests for a $2 donation to the Foundation. Donation canisters on register counters collect spare change, while the Round Up Program allows guests to “round up” their bill to the nearest dollar. Grant allocations are made possible thanks to the overwhelming support of Firehouse Subs restaurants and generous donors.