Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Comes to the Rescue with Much Needed Equipment

Media Release

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation

November 31, 2016 3:43 p.m.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Continuing its mission of supporting hometown heroes, Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is awarding $356,949 worth of life-saving equipment to 21 North Florida organizations during a press event at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the University of North Florida’s Hicks Hall, Building 53, located at 4892 First

Coast Tech Pkwy. Lunch to follow.

The event will incorporate both an equipment donation ceremony as well as an educational component, where UNF students will receive hands-only CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training. This comes on the heels of the Foundation’s increased focus on sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), using its newly formed Michael Namey AED Initiative to provide both the equipment and training necessary to fight SCA – a worldwide health crisis responsible for more than 600,000 deaths annually.

“Jacksonville is the home of Firehouse Subs and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation,” said Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Executive Director Robin

Peters. “Many of the organizations receiving grant awards are friends and neighbors

so it is especially gratifying to award these life-saving grants right here in our

backyard.”

The following organizations are receiving much needed equipment, which will be on

display and demonstrated at the event. Event attendees include representatives from

each department and public safety organization, as well as the following Firehouse

Subs headquarters team members: Firehouse Subs and Firehouse Subs Public Safety

Foundation co-founders Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen, Firehouse Subs Public

Safety Foundation Executive Director Robin Peters, Firehouse Subs Public Safety

Foundation Senior Manager of Foundation Development Meghan Vargas, Firehouse Subs

Senior Manager of Foundation Programs Jackie Gubbins, Firehouse Subs Public Safety

Foundation Procurement Specialist Brady Rigdon and several Foundation board members.

Additional city officials have been invited and are also expected to be in

attendance.

· UNF Police Department received a police cruiser worth $33,624, as well as six

AEDs and accessories worth $8,367.

· St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office received 15 AEDs worth $19,425.

· First Coast Christian School received three AEDs worth $5,220.

· Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department received extrication equipment worth

$27,029.

· Friendship Volunteer Fire Department received two thermal imaging cameras

worth $11,024.

· City of High Springs Fire Department received extrication equipment worth

$30,327.

· Town of Orange Park received two thermal imaging cameras worth $19,995.

· American Red Cross, Northeast Florida received 5,000 smoke alarms worth

$55,000, as well as $10,000 in funding to support Hurricane Matthew relief efforts.

· K9s for Warriors, Inc. received 10 AEDs and first responder kits worth $18,442.

· Rotary Club of West Jacksonville received $21,960 in funding to support its

Safety Around Water Initiative in partnership with the YMCA.

· Parent Heart Watch received 16 AED packages and accessories worth $17,236.

In addition to those listed above, several police departments received AEDs, each

worth $1,300, as a part of the Foundation’s 1,000 AED Gift Campaign, commemorating

Firehouse Subs 1,000th restaurant opening. The awarded AEDs will help ensure

officers are prepared to provide medical assistance if an individual goes into

cardiac arrest. The following will be recognized from the campaign:

· Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office received 35 AEDs.

· Clay County Sheriff’s Office received 18 AEDs.

· Nassau County Sheriff’s Office received one AED.

· Fernandina Beach Police Department received one AED.

· Alachua County Sheriff’s Office received one AED.

· Gainesville Police Department received one AED.

· Marion County Sheriff’s Office received one AED.

· Ocala Police Department received one AED.

· Neptune Beach Police Department received one AED.

· Jacksonville Beach Police Department received one AED.

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was founded in 2005 in the aftermath of

Hurricane Katrina. Firehouse Subs co-founders, Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen,

traveled to Mississippi where they fed first responders and survivors. As they

traveled back to Florida, they knew they could do more and Firehouse Subs Public

Safety Foundation was born with the mission of providing funding, life-saving

equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety

organizations. Since inception, the non-profit organization has given more than $23

million to hometown heroes in 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, including more than

$4 million in Florida.

To raise money for the Foundation, Firehouse Subs restaurants participate in a

number of fundraising efforts. Each restaurant recycles leftover, five-gallon pickle

buckets and sells them to guests for $2. Donation canisters on register counters

collect spare change, while the Round Up Program allows guests to “round up” their

bill to the nearest dollar. Grant allocations are made possible thanks to the

overwhelming support of Firehouse Subs restaurants and generous donors.

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