Anheuser-Busch delivered 9,400 cans of emergency drinking water four volunteer fire departments in Florida.
For the sixth consecutive year, Anheuser-Busch teamed up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to deliver emergency drinking water to volunteer fire departments across the country, including the fire departments in Florida.
The continued partnership builds on the brewer’s longstanding history of showing up for its communities and demonstrates its deep appreciation for the first responders who help to keep them safe.
Across the country, 65 percent of firefighters — typically the first line of defense in local emergencies — are volunteers, often with limited department budgets for critical supplies. Anheuser-Busch’s water donations allow these departments to free up limited resources for other expenses or equipment needed to keep their force prepared to respond to any emergency or disaster. Produced and canned by Anheuser-Busch breweries, more than 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water will be distributed to over 630 volunteer fire departments across 44 states throughout the summer as part of the brewer’s larger effort to promote disaster preparedness nationwide.
“Our continued partnership with the NVFC and volunteer firefighters across the country embodies the rich heritage of Anheuser-Busch and our commitment and long-standing track record of supporting our communities when they need us most – because that’s who we are,” said Cesar Vargas, Chief External Affairs Officer at Anheuser-Busch. “Along with our wholesaler partners, Anheuser-Busch is honored to leverage our production, packaging and logistics capabilities to assist the firefighters who lead with courage to protect us every time they’re called upon.”
In Florida, the Anheuser-Busch Emergency Drinking Water donations will be made to four volunteer fire departments including Southwest Volunteer Fire Department, Crescent City FIRE Rescue, Interlachen Area Volunteer Fire Department, and Baker Fire District.
“Anheuser-Busch has a longstanding history of providing support for disaster relief and preparedness,” said Chad Bonner, Equity Agreement Manager at The Lewis Bear Company. “We are grateful to be a partner in this effort and use our distribution network to bring volunteer firefighters the resources they need.”
Anheuser-Busch has been providing support for disaster relief efforts dating back to 1906, in partnership with the American Red Cross. With an increased focus on disaster preparedness, the brewer started its partnership with the NVFC in 2019 and, together with its wholesaler partners, has delivered nearly 9 million cans of clean, safe drinking water to more than 2,000 volunteer fire departments across 49 states.
“We’re excited to continue our long-standing partnership with Anheuser-Busch to support local VFDs across the nation with emergency drinking water,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “This vital resource assures that firefighters are able to safely protect themselves and our towns year-round.”
Anheuser-Busch’s breweries in Cartersville, Georgia and Fort Collins, Colorado periodically pause beer production each year to can clean, safe emergency drinking water to support disaster relief efforts. Since 1988, Anheuser-Busch has donated more than 93 million cans of clean drinking water to U.S. communities affected by natural disasters and other crises, including over 100,000 cans to aid Hurricane Idalia relief in Florida last August.
