Firehouse Subs foundation funds nearly $50K in specialized rescue boots for rugged emergency calls.
South Frontenac Fire & Rescue has received a major funding boost aimed at improving firefighter safety during emergency calls in difficult terrain.
The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation of Canada recently awarded the department a $49,833 grant to purchase 90 sets of technical rescue and wildland firefighting boots.
Officials say the specialized footwear will help firefighters safely respond to wildfires, search-and-rescue operations and hazardous material incidents across South Frontenac’s rugged landscape. The boots are designed to improve comfort, mobility and protection while crews travel through wooded trails, conservation areas and provincial parkland.
Fire Chief Del Blakney said the township includes several hard-to-access locations, including the Cataraqui Trail, K&P Trail, Rideau Trail and Gould Lake Conservation Area.
Blakney said firefighters previously lacked suitable footwear for wildfire and deep-woods rescue missions.
The foundation has supported public safety agencies across Canada for more than a decade and has awarded 438 grants worth more than $6.3 million since 2015.
Story by Alyssa Brush
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