A sandwich-making restaurant chain is aiming to make firefighters in one city in north Fulton County a whole lot safer.
Milton’s Fire-Rescue Department received a $19,000 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to provide its firefighters with custom bullet-resistant helmets and vests. The firefighters will use these when called to an active shooter or violent crime situation.
As first responders, firefighters sometimes need to arrive at these dangerous scenes to treat injured patients before the situation is secured by law enforcement. This can put first responders like Milton’s firefighters at a risk.
READ | Road project will eliminate left turns at busy North Fulton intersection
READ | New 'Wild Wing Cafe' now open in North Fulton
READ | You can now buy that car from the opening scene of 'Baby Driver'
"Last year's incident in Las Vegas reinforced the need to protect our personnel during an active shooter situation," Milton Fire Chief Robert Edgar said in a statement. "We need to respond to the injured quickly and in doing so, we need to know our firefighters are protected."
Money from the Firehouse Subs grant will allow each Milton firefighter to have access to a ballistic vest and helmet while on duty.
Firehouse Subs was founded in 1994 in Jacksonville, Florida by former firefighters. The eatery now has more than 1,100 locations across the country. Its Public Safety Foundation was established in 2005 with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. Through the foundation, Firehouse Subs has given more than $31 million to “hometown heroes” across 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada.
"We have learned over the last decade that there are a number of times when firefighters have had to respond to an active-shooter situation,” said Milton Fire Apparatus Operator Johnny Gomez. “As a Milton firefighter, I appreciate this added layer of protection for us should we ever have to come in the line of fire."
Firehouse Subs has 95 locations in Georgia and has given more than $2 million to public safety departments in the state, a press release said.
Like North Fulton County News Now on Facebook | Follow on Twitter
MORE LOCAL NEWS...
About the Author
