According to a program spokesperson, in recent weeks the SVFD received a pallet of 2,352 12-ounce cans of water “with the help of our wholesale partner Virginia Beverage Company.”

The donation is part of a larger, nationwide effort to boost disaster preparedness in local communities by providing volunteer firefighters – who make up 65% of all firefighters in the U.S. – with critical resources that are often in short supply due to limited budgets.

Over the course of the summer, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesale network, in partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), expect to deliver 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water to more than 630 volunteer fire departments in 44 states.

This is the sixth consecutive year the program has been run.

This donation will help prepare local volunteer firefighters for the annual summer wildfire season, rather than waiting until disaster strikes.

Anheuser-Busch hopes that the water donations will allow affected departments to free up limited funds for other expenses or to purchase equipment needed to keep their troops prepared for any emergency or disaster.

“Our continued partnership with the NVFC and volunteer firefighters across the country embodies Anheuser-Busch’s rich heritage and our commitment and long-standing track record of supporting our communities when they need us most – because that’s who we are,” said Cesar Vargas, chief external affairs officer at Anheuser-Busch in a press release. “Together with our wholesale partners, Anheuser-Busch is proud to leverage our manufacturing, packaging and logistics capabilities to support the firefighters who bravely protect us every time they are called.”

Anheuser-Busch has supported disaster relief efforts in partnership with the American Red Cross since 1906. With an increased focus on disaster preparedness, the brewery began its partnership with the NVFC in 2019 and, together with its wholesale partners, has delivered nearly 9 million cans of drinking water to more than 2,000 volunteer fire departments in 49 states.

In 2023, the Glade Spring Fire Department received a water donation from the program.

“We are thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with Anheuser-Busch to provide local volunteer fire departments across the country with drinking water so firefighters can stay hydrated and perform at their best during emergency response,” said Steve Hirsch, NVFC Chairman. “This vital resource helps prepare our communities and improve our nation’s resilience so firefighters can safely protect themselves and our cities year-round.”

Anheuser-Busch’s breweries in Cartersville, Georgia, and Fort Collins, Colorado, periodically pause beer production each year to can drinking water for emergency use and disaster relief. Since 1988, Anheuser-Busch has donated more than 93 million cans of clean drinking water to U.S. communities affected by natural disasters and other crises.

The program spokesperson noted that volunteer fire departments can apply for donations at NVFC.org. The NVFC manages the applications and reviews submissions to select the fire departments that meet the program criteria and demonstrate the greatest need.

To be eligible, departments must have responded to wildfires in 2023 and plan to respond to wildfires in 2024; they must be more than 50% volunteer-based; they must serve a population of 25,000 or less; and they must demonstrate a need for water, among other criteria.