A sandwich franchise donates equipment to local public agencies

A franchise is giving public agencies a helping hand where budgets fall short. Local fire departments and a public agency got an upgrade to their more than 10-year-old equipment.

Firehouse Subs in Palm Springs donated more than $75,000 in life-saving equipment. A replacement local agencies say they were in need of.

“This actually replaces outdated gear that is desperately needed to bring it into current standards,” said Patrick Rietz of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District.

Firehouse Subs, a restaurant franchise, has a foundation to help local public agencies. In Palm Springs, it donated more than $75,000 to the Cathedral City Fire Department, Idyllwild Fire Protection District, and Desert Arc an organization that helps people with disabilities.

“What we had previously was really outdated and cumbersome to use and this equipment is light weight battery powered and able to deploy quickly for emergency incidents,” said Catherdral City Fire Department Chief Paul Wilson.

Chief Wilson says the old jaws of life took more than two and half minutes to get it setup. In an emergency, he says that’s time wasted. The new equipment is instant.

For the Idyllwild Fire protection District, they also had outdated basics like their fire protective uniform.

“The pants, the boots, the gloves, all of those things that enable us to do our job and to do our job safely so that we can effectively rescue and serve the public regardless of whatever the hazard maybe,” said Chief Rietz.

For Shinder Singh, the franchise owner, being able to present these checks to local agencies is his way giving back to those who spend their lives protecting others.

“it’s going to help them because they needed all this stuff that’s why they applied for the grants so it’s going to help save a lot of people’s lives in this local community,” said Singh.

70 percent of the funds for the donations was generated by donations that customers are asked to partake when they check out.