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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Anheuser-Busch donates drinking water to Newman Lake firefighters

By Nina Culver For The Spokesman-Review

Anheuser-Busch recently donated 98 cases of canned drinking water to Newman Lake Fire and Rescue for the upcoming wildfire season so firefighters can stay hydrated as they work.

Newman Lake Fire, also known as Spokane County Fire District 13, is a volunteer fire department covering the area surrounding Newman Lake to the Idaho border. Fire Chief Stan Cooke said the department is grateful for the donation, which was delivered by local wholesale distributor King Beverage.

“Many emergency fire responses can be of high intensity by nature and then in the summer, with higher temperature, firefighters lose a tremendous amount of fluid,” Cooke said. “Proper hydration is crucial to ensure the safety of our firefighters and to keep them performing at their best.”

Anheuser-Busch regularly stops production of beer to produce cans of water that can be distributed during natural disasters. The company also partners with the National Volunteer Fire Council to distribute water to volunteer firefighters across the country.

The company has donated more than 90 million cans of emergency drinking water since 1988 and since partnering with the National Volunteer Fire Council in 2019 it has given away an additional 4.9 million cans of water to firefighters.

Heat and heavy protective gear are an issue when fighting fires during the summer and it’s not uncommon for firefighters to get dehydrated. Cooke said he hopes the donated water will help keep firefighters healthy.

“Thanks to this water donation from Anheuser-Busch and the National Volunteer Fire Council, we have the resources to keep our firefighters hydrated and operating effectively and safely,” Cooke said.