Empowering first responders in local fire departments

Firefighters are on the front lines everyday protecting our communities and acting as first responders in emergencies. To support these heroes, Nest and the Leary Firefighters Foundation have teamed up for the third time to award two $25,000 worth of new technology and equipment to fire departments in need.

To qualify for the grant, fire departments had to be nominated by members of their community. This year, we saw over 14,000 deserving nominations and ultimately chose the Hobart, Indiana and Dunkrik, Maryland Departments for their dedication and service. These local first responders don’t have access to the newest lifesaving tools that their counterparts in big cities might have. And since no two communities are the same, no two fire departments have the same needs. That’s why we ask them what they need to serve their neighbors faster and even more effectively. The Hobart FD elected to use their grant for tablets to help them communicate more quickly, and the Dunkirk FD is using their grant for thermal imaging tools that will help them detect hot spots and avoid tragedy.

It’s especially exciting to announce our support for these fire departments during Fire Safety Week, which serves as a helpful reminder that we all need the right tools to keep ourselves, our families, and our homes safe. Nest Protect, our smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, is one of those tools. Nest Protects talk to each other, so if your basement Protect alarm goes off, all your other Nest Protects will tell you there is a smoke or carbon monoxide problem in the basement. It can be your first line of defense so that you don’t have to call the fire department.

But for those times when you do need to call for help, we are grateful for the hard work and vigilance of our local firefighters.