The 1896 established Walnutport Diamond Fire Company is the recent recipient of $9,407 worth of protective gear donated by Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Four sets of bunker pants and coats were donated to the firehouse in September to replace old, damaged gear.

"It's the newest gear with the newest technology to protect fighters from heat and toxic fumes," Fire Chief John Kirchner said.The new technology he referred to is a more flexible material that allows the firefighters to be in the blaze longer. The bunker coats and pants are "definitely more breathable," he said.The protective gear has come a long way since early days. Kirchner says he remembers the old gear, high rubber boots similar to fishing waders and a long, bulky jacket that reached the knees of the firefighters.The Diamond Fire Company serves approximately 2,100 people in Walnutport. The estimated cost to train and equip a firefighter is more than $27,000.Firehouse Subs created the nonprofit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation in 2005 to help provide funding, life-saving equipment, and educational opportunities to first-responders and public safety organizations. The foundation has given more than $15 million in 44 states and Puerto Rico. More than $177,000 has been donated to the state of Pennsylvania.Other recipients of this years' donations include Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Claude, who was injured in the line of duty. He will receive an all-terrain wheelchair worth $13,052.Lehigh University Police Department received an automated external defibrillator worth $1,594. The defibrillator will be placed on an off-road motorcycle unit to provide life-saving assistance for a person who goes into cardiac arrest while hiking or mountain biking on nearby trails.The foundation raises funds in many ways including a restaurant initiative which recycles leftover 5-gallon pickle buckets, made available to guests for a $2 donation to the foundation. Donation canisters on register counters were also used to raise money, along with a program allowing guests to "round up" their bill to the nearest dollar.Firehouse Subs and Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was founded by brothers and former firefighters Chris Sorensen and Robin Sorensen.