JACKSON COUNTY, MI — Firefighters and other first responders in Napoleon Township now have another way to stay hydrated on the job.
Last week, the Napoleon Township police and fire departments became the recipients of a donation of 2,352 cans of water from the Anheuser-Busch brewing company.
The donation was made possible through a grant from the National Volunteer Fire Council, said Napoleon Township Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Holbrook.
“The first responders are very excited and happy to be able to get this water and to be able to use it out in the field,” Holbrook said.
The 12-ounce cans will allow first responders to remain hydrated during incidents where they need to stay on scene for lengthy periods of time, such a structure fires, wildland fires and severe vehicle crashes, Holbrook said.
Napoleon Township has 18 firefighters on staff, and responds to about 750 calls each year, Holbrook said.
The program was originally set up to benefit emergency crews responding to disaster situations such as hurricanes and tornadoes, before being extended to community-level volunteer groups and first responders, Holbrook said.
The grant program has been in place for the past four years, Holbrook said. Napoleon Township applied for the grant in March.
Since the program began in 2019, Anheuser-Busch has worked with wholesaler partners to donate about 4.8 million cans of emergency drinking water to more than 900 volunteer fire departments across 49 states, officials said.
Napoleon is the first fire department in Jackson County to benefit from this grant, according to a representative from Daniel L. Jacob & Company, which delivered the water to the fire department.
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