Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners are teaming up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) for the fifth consecutive year to donate emergency drinking water to local fire departments nationwide.
This summer, more than 21,000 cans will be donated to nine fire departments across New York to help them prepare for and respond in times of crisis and long incident at home.
Firefighters and first responders in local communities rely on clean drinking water to stay hydrated in times of need; yet volunteer fire departments often lack the budget and resources to supply. The water donations to New York fire departments are designed to deliver on this critical need, as well as to support the communities where Anheuser Busch’s customers and employees live and work.
“Suppressing fires in extreme heat poses serious risks to firefighters’ health and safety in the summer months, and it’s essential for our team to have water readily available to stay hydrated,” said Joel McNally, chief of the Marcellus Fire Department. “These donations will prove critical in ensuring that we can continue our fire and emergency relief operations safely.
Now in its fifth year, the partnership between Anheuser-Busch and the NVFC is expanding its reach to provide 2.5 million cans – more than ever before – to over 600 volunteer fire departments (VFDs) across 47 states, with a goal of reaching more than 1,000 VFDs before the end of the year. The initiative’s expansion represents a significant evolution in the brewer’s 30-year-strong commitment to disaster relief, as well its deep appreciation for the first responders who are keeping their communities safe.
“Showing up for our communities and first responders has long been part of Anheuser Busch’s legacy – that’s who we are. We’re proud to continue building on that tradition by working with our wholesaler partners and NVFC to support our neighbors, friends, and families,” said Cesar Vargas, chief external affairs officer at Anheuser-Busch.
“Emergency drinking water is critical for firefighters’ safety and ability to respond to crises at home each year,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “We appreciate Anheuser-Busch’s increased commitment to supplying our nation’s fire service with this much-needed resource and for their continued partnership in keeping our communities safe.”
In New York, the donations of emergency drinking water will be made to nine volunteer fire departments including Cobleskill Fire Department, Marcellus Fire Department, Silver Creek Volunteer Fire Department, Otisco Fire Department and Oakfield Fire Department.
Since 2019, Anheuser-Busch and its national network of independent wholesalers – including local partners, Arthur R. Gren Co., Eagle Beverage Company, Saratoga Eagle Sales & Service, T.J. Sheehan Distributing, Inc., and Try-It Distributing – have partnered with the NVFC to donate more than 8 million cans of clean, safe drinking water to more than 1,400 fire departments across 49 states to support disaster response needs.
“We’re proud to have contributed to this effort to supply over 20,000 cans of emergency drinking water to local fire departments,” said Jack Davis, General Manager of T.J. Sheehan Distributing, Inc. “New York’s fire service plays an integral role in protecting forests and residential properties across upstate New York from wildfires and other hazards, and we thank them for their service.”
The emergency drinking water is sourced from Anheuser-Busch’s breweries in Cartersville, Georgia and Fort Collins, Colorado which periodically pause beer production to can clean, safe drinking water to support disaster relief efforts in partnership with the American Red Cross and NVFC. Since the creation of its emergency drinking water program in 1988, Anheuser-Busch has donated more than 90 million cans of clean drinking water to U.S. communities affected by natural disasters and other crises.
Learn more about the Emergency Drinking Water for Wildland Firefighters Program at nvfc.org/water.