New Partnership Stretches Fireman's Fund Grants Further

Fireman's Fund has established a partnership with Total Fire Group, the manufacturers of Morning Pride firefighter protective gear. The relationship allows Fireman's Fund to purchase protective clothing and gear on behalf of Fireman's Fund Heritage program grant recipients at a significant discount. Discounts apply to any item from the Total Fire Group catalog, which includes turnouts, helmets, gloves and boots.

"Thanks to Total Fire Group and their generous discount, our grant recipients will now be able to get more gear for the money," says Danielle Cagan, Fireman's Fund Heritage program director. "Total Fire Group is a well-respected company with a long history that parallels that of Fireman's Fund. We are excited to work together to get top quality PPE to as many firefighters as possible."

The Morning Pride brand is renowned for its innovative protective clothing and gear, says Tony Wyman, vice president of sales for Total Fire Group. "We recognized early on that innovation in protective apparel was critical and that the company that would lead the industry would be the one that leads in innovation. We invested heavily in research and development so that we could go home at the end of each day knowing that firefighters wearing our bunker gear had the best protection available. That focus wasn't just our business model; it was our commitment to the fire service."

Reducing Stress By Design

The company's products are designed to reduce the stress and restrictions that heavy protective clothing can place on a firefighter's body and movements, says Wyman.

"The most common causes of firefighter deaths are not due to fire-related injuries, but are stress-related, such as heart attacks and strokes," Wyman points out. "Wearing heavy, restrictive and cumbersome protective gear while exposed to extreme heat causes great stress to the body. Our designers are continually looking for ways to creative lighter weight personal protective equipment that minimizes that stress while providing the greatest level of protection from the fire environment possible," adds Wyman.

Among their patented innovations is the Forward Flex Sleeve, used in the design of Morning Pride coats, which prevents the sleeve from retracting when a firefighter raises his or her arm.

"We designed a special way of cutting the sleeve pattern so that the sleeve stays put when an arm is raised, and therefore the wrist stays covered," says Wyman. "The design also provides greater flexibility, which means the firefighter doesn't have to work against the coat."

Another patent is the "Full Range of Motion Crotch" design for Morning Pride protective pants, which allows for a longer stride and freer movement of a firefighter's legs.

Total Fire Group Chief Executive Officer William Lawrence "Bill" Grilliot is an active duty firefighter, as are many of the company's employees. Grillot holds the rank of Captain with the West Milton Fire Department of Ohio.

According to Grilliot, the relationship with Fireman's Fund is a big plus for both companies.

"We take great pride in our brand and what it stands for," the Morning Pride CEO points out. "And because of that, we are very protective about the type of companies we choose with which to associate our brand. Fireman's Fund is innovative, a leader in its field and has the unique Heritage social commitment. We are very proud to be associated with Fireman's Fund and with its mission to protect firefighters and local communities through its Heritage program."