Honesty Nets HVFD Multi-Year Charmin “Save Our Butts” Donation

This story originally posted on the Hyattsville VFD Website.  Click here.

Thanks to the kind nomination from one of our local citizens, the Hyattsville VFD was selected as one of 100 firehouses around the country to receive a year’s supply (1,000 rolls) of Charmin toilet paper — part of the company’s “Butts that Save Our Butts” Campaign. The only problem — the generous citizen nominated the wrong firehouse.

Thanks to Charmin’s “Save Our Butts” campaign for a special donation of over 5,000 rolls. And appropriately, the packaging was red with a white stripe just like HVFD’s colors.

The resident actually lived in the first due of Co. 844, Chillum. After speaking with the resident and confirming with Co. 44’s staff that the were familiar with the things mentioned in the nomination, the HVFD naturally passed along the prize to the appropriate station. Co. 44 accepted their delivery last month, passing on half of it to neighboring Chillum-Adelphi Station 834, who coincidentally was recognized in the program last year.

But much to the surprise of the HVFD, Charmin was thankful we turned the donation over to the right firehouse — and rewarded the good deed with an astounding 5,000+ rolls of premium “Ultra Strong Double” toilet paper. Even with over a dozen live-in members and an active local membership and day career crew that typically has 20 or more people in the firehouse throughout the day, that is A LOT of the “good stuff” that should last the department several years. The products is equivalent to about 10,000+ rolls of traditional toilet paper.

“The way in the which your station graciously passed along the initial donation to Chillum was seen as a great act of selflessness showing true strength of character and we’d love to be able to say thank you!,” a Charmin representative said.

Charmin’s “Butts that Save Our Butts” program first started with a large donation to the Detroit Fire Department once we learned they were paying for their toilet paper while facing budget cuts. Last year, Charmin donated to the Moonachie Fire Department which was damaged during Hurricane Sandy and then donated to 50 fire stations, one in each state on one day. This year the program was expanded to 100 fire stations.

How do you get 4,000 of 5,000 rolls up to our third floor storage? TP Tossing, of course.

And of course kudos to the crews at the Chillum fire station for doing some great work over the last year to get the original nomination. The local resident’s original Facebook post on the Charmin site said:

“I have a neighbor who has been ailing with cancer for the past six years. This fire fighters in this firehouse have been to my neighbor’s house all the time to assist him no matter what time or under which kind of weather they always here in time. I also live in a flood zone area and whenever there is danger or flood warning or any kind threat they would arrive to assist with a smile on their face that gives me courage even if I was afraid. I do salute them for many things they do going door to door to check fire alarms if in order, looking for elderly who are lost due to confusion to house fires they have been there for us.”

The crew when the initial delivery was dropped off. The shipment took up most of the Squad bay.

Charmin used its social media channels to encourage the public to help select 100 firehouses across the nation by nominating their local firehouse for the chance for it to receive a year’s supply of toilet paper. Since firehouses serve as a home away from home for many firefighters, Charmin wants to ensure these heroes have toilet paper—one of the most basic comforts of home—in their firehouses while they’re on the job saving our butts.

Additionally, as a way to say thank you to the butts that save our butts every day, Charmin will be donating $20,000 to The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation whose mission is to provide resources to assist the survivors of America’s fallen fire heroes in rebuilding their lives.
“The valiant and courageous commitment firefighters show each and every day is deserving of our gratitude and appreciation,” said Eric Breissinger, Vice President, North America Family Care, Procter & Gamble. “We are honored to support and celebrate firefighters by making a contribution to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation and to the Dallas Firefighters’ Memorial Fund. The Charmin Relief Project hopes to bring the comforts of home to 100 fire houses across the country.”
For more information on the Charmin Relief Project, visit us at www.CharminRelief.com.

Learn More about the Program Here