08-02-2025
EFD donates fire gear to developing nations
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) — With the help of an Illinois organization, the Evansville Fire Department will be donating several pieces of equipment to developing countries. The program helps developing fire departments that don't have financial resources.
Firefighters in cities like San Pedro Sula, Honduras take on flames in just t-shirts and jeans. Parts of the the city do not even have running water.
That's according to Midwest Mission, an Illinois-based organization which is collecting used equipment from EFD.
Eventually those pieces of gear, like masks and boots, are going to developing nations. Some departments only have budgets for the personnel and the firehouse, but not for equipment.
'You know it's a dangerous profession when they have their blood type on their sleeve, on a patch on their sleeve,' says Executive Director Chantel Corrie. 'So, to be able to provide fire gear into these countries that their only problem is that they're just poor, that they don't have the financial resources.'
Evansville City Councilwoman, Angela Koehler Lindsay, is a member of Salem United Methodist Church who has been visiting the Illinois organization on mission trips over the last couple of years. She was able to get in touch with the fire chief who has to replace equipment every ten years.
'Next thing I know he's coming up to me at council meeting saying, 'Hey, we're saving stuff. We're going to get in contact with the people at Midwest, so that we can have some equipment to donate,'' says Lindsay.
The people picking up the gear say some firefighters have gave up their lives, but would have lived with the proper gear.
'As Angela said, they're going in in t-shirts and jeans to fight fire,' says EFD's Kim Garrett. 'So, any type of added protection that we can give them with the gear is going to be tremendously beneficial to them.'
Garrett hops more equipment from EFD will be sent out to Honduras and other developing countries by June.
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