Climb & Crawl for a Good Cause
When you try out Globe’s new PPE, you’ll also be donating to the D.C. Burn Foundation

When you're at FDIC, there's always certain booths that always have crowds of people at them, where it's apparent something exciting is going on--that, or free T-shirts are being given out!

This year, the Globe booth (#2415) is one of those booths--but it's a lot more than free T-shirts. Just after the exhibits opened Thursday, the booth was already bustling with firefighters crowding around to get a chance to try out Globe's PPE and boots. This is not a PPE display where you look at rows of garments on hangers or printed spec sheets that will make your eyes cross. Think about it: Do you get excited when you read a list of specifications for a new turnout coat? Probably not. But if you could put on a new set of turnouts and boots, then climb, crawl and test the gear out—that would be more interesting, right?

Globe knows this, and that’s why they’re offering the Climb & Crawl at FDIC this week. First, you find your size turnout pants--engineered with much more room in the seat and the knees to allow the garment to stretch during motions such as stepping into the truck or crawling down a hallway. But you don't have to take Globe's word for it; you get on your hands and knees and crawl your way through a makeshift tunnel.

Appearing on the other side, you can get a glimpse of Globe's many pocket, hook and fastener options--laid out on the wall for you to touch and see, which is much easier than trying to guess from a catalog what a pocket or fastener will look like.

More likely, though, you'll be drawn to the climbing rock wall, where if you make it to the top of the wall, you can fall back to test out the harness that's built into Globe's turnout pants. It's designed for bailout operations, protection during above- and below-grade operations and rescuing downed firefighters.

Firefighters from Washington, D.C., played an integral part in developing the new harness, following the events of Black Sunday in New York, and they're working in the booth to help out as well. For good footing going up the rock wall, there are plenty of Globe boots to try on, designed to work like an athletic shoe.

Best of all, Globe will make a donation to the D.C. Firefighters Burn Foundation for each firefighter who tries out their gear. This is a great foundation run by active and retired Washington, D.C. firefighters; they assist in the recovery and rehabilitation of injured firefighters and burn patients in the D.C. Metropolitan area and since 2004, have donated more than $550,000 to various organizations.

Globe is hoping to get at least 3,000 participants for the Climb & Crawl. If you haven’t already gone by their booth, there’s still time!

Shannon Pieper is deputy editor for FireRescue magazine.