Brotherhood of the Badge Fire Department Donations

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Brotherhood of the Badge International

Brotherhood of the Badge International collects surplus fire and police equipment from fire departments and law enforcement agencies across the United States, and delivers it to US military authorities in Iraq and Afghanistan, who in turn distribute it to civilian firefighters and police officers in the war-torn countries.

Firefighters in Iraq and Afghanistan face extreme dangers that first responders in other parts of the world may not encounter, and many times they do it without the proper personal protective gear.   Ensuring that Iraqi and Afghani firefighters and police have the necessary equipment to do their jobs is an important step in helping these nations to have peace and security, and since 2004, Brotherhood of the Badge has made it their mission to help in this manner.

Fire Chief Randy Bruegman of the Fresno Fire Department, an agency which has donated surplus equipment to Brotherhood of the Badge International, explains, "Their mission is to provide equipment and stand up the Iraqi police and fire services with a basic understanding that the sooner we can get the infrastructure of the government back on its feet, the sooner we can bring our men and women of the military home here to the US."

Personal Protective Equipment

The needs of the first responders have changed from the inception of the Brotherhood of the Badge's mission.  Originally, they were in dire need of body armor, whereas now they are requesting personal protective equipment (PPE).  Ken Shockley, Vice President of Brotherhood of the Badge International explains, "They really want protective equipment, PPE, and we're working with fire departments to donate that equipment to us, and then we work with the military to transport it and to deliver it to the fire departments, making sure the right folks are using it to save lives."

A Worthwhile Cause

Shockley has personally delivered some of this equipment to the Middle East and has seen firsthand the difference it is making.  He says of the experience, "It's that gratitude that you see in their eyes that really is the payoff, and again, the troops, when they see you over there and helping, they know that the war, although it's gone on a long time, that we haven't forgotten.  We're still helping folks.  We're still concerned about getting them home.  We're still concerned about peace."

For information on how your fire or police department can donate equipment to Brotherhood of the Badge International, visit www.botbonline.org.