LION and the International Fire Relief Mission (IFRM) today entered a new partnership to provide gear, tools, and training to firefighters and emergency personnel in underserved communities around the world.
The agreement, signed at LION’s Chicago TotalCare facility where in-service gear is inspected, cleaned and repaired, will increase cooperation between the world’s leading manufacturer of firefighting gear and the non-profit organization internationally known for its support of fire services in the developing world.
IFRM President and CEO Ron Gruening described the new multi-year partnership as a step toward furthering the IFRM vision. “IFRM’s mission is to deliver donated equipment and knowledge to help firefighters in developing countries be safer and more effective,” he said. “LION has been an IFRM supporter since our early days; this expanded agreement shows their commitment to firefighter safety around the world.”
Steve Schwartz, LION’s CEO, described the initiative in terms of the company’s expanding global and social profiles. “We’re more active than ever in new markets around the world, including many emerging economies. Through the partnership with IFRM we see a tremendous opportunity to grow our company while bettering the lives of firefighters and communities–in the U.S. and in new markets like Mexico, Nigeria and Eastern Europe. Working with a leader like IFRM, we can get more gear and training to more markets, in a way that will have long-term impact.” Schwartz noted that this initiative was part of LION’s 5/50 program–the global company goal to reach some 50,000 underserved firefighters with gear and training over the next 5 years.
The initiative is already off to a roaring start, with work to support warehousing and logistics for IFRM, and planning for the first joint outreach mission to the Bahamas in the coming months.
