Firehouse Subs gives Milton $19K to outfit firemen

A sandwich-making restaurant chain is aiming to make firefighters in one city in north Fulton County a whole lot safer.

Milton’s Fire-Rescue Department received a $19,000 grant from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation to provide its firefighters with custom bullet-resistant helmets and vests. The firefighters will use these when called to an active shooter or violent crime situation.

As first responders, fire- fighters sometimes need to arrive at these danger- ous scenes to treat injured patients before the situation is secured by law enforcement. This can put first responders like Milton’s fire- fighters at a risk.

“Last year’s incident in Las Vegas reinforced the need to protect our personnel during an active shooter situ- ation,” Milton Fire Chief Robert Edgar said in a statement. “We need to respond to the injured quickly, and in doing so, we need to know our firefighters are protected.”

Money from the Firehouse Subs grant will allow each Milton firefighter to have access to a ballistic vest and helmet while on duty.

Firehouse Subs was founded in 1994 in Jacksonville, Fla., by former firefighters. The eatery now has more than 1,100 locations across the country. Its Public Safety Foundation was established in 2005 with the mission of providing funding, life-saving equipment and educational opportunities to first responders and public safety organizations. Through the foundation, Firehouse Subs has given more than $31 million to “hometown heroes” across 46 states, Puerto Rico and Canada.

Firehouse Subs has 95 locations in Georgia and has given more than $2 mil- lion to public safety departments in the state, a news release said.

OF MILTON CITY Firehouse Subs gave Milton a $19,000 grant to purchase bullet-resistant vests and helmets for its firefighters.