Firehouse Subs equips Yabucoa with $46K in rescue tools
Firehouse Subs Puerto Rico has awarded $46,766 in specialized equipment to the Office of Emergency Management in Yabucoa, coinciding with the eighth anniversary of Hurricane María’s landfall through the town.
The grant, from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, provided battery-powered scissors for vehicle extrication, a spreader to open doors or separate parts in accidents, a hydraulic ram and charging accessories.
“Over the past 14 years, we have delivered more than $720,000 in specialized equipment to first responders and municipalities locally,” said Fernando Oliver, CEO of Latin American Subs, part of Restaurant Holding Co.
“All of it has been acquired from the same Puerto Rican company, also supporting our economy in the process. In Yabucoa in particular, we know the great need for the Emergency Management office after the devastating impact of María that entered precisely through this town,” he said.
Since opening in Puerto Rico 14 years ago, Firehouse Subs has provided $723,469 in equipment to 13 municipalities. The foundation has granted $98 million in equipment, training and support to 6,914 organizations across the United States.
“On behalf of all yabucoeños, and on my own, I want to thank Firehouse Subs for their commitment in delivering very important equipment and materials for the Office of Emergency Management of our town of Yabucoa,” said Mayor Rafael Surillo-Ruiz.
The company said its next grant round will open Oct. 9 and will close after 600 applications are received.
“One of our greatest satisfactions is to know that any town on the island has equal access to submitting proposals, competing head-to-head with requests at the national level,” said Carlos J. Morell, chief operating officer of Restaurant Holding Co.
