Feb. 9, 2011, COATESVILLE, PA - Jim Witmer, President and CEO of Witmer Public Safety Group, parent company of TheFireStore, announced today that customers who purchased decertified Blaze Fighter structural gloves manufactured by The Glove Corp. will receive a voucher equal to the purchase price directly from TheFireStore.
"All we're required to do is notify our customers of the NFPA failure," Witmer explained. "But we're holding ourselves to a higher standard. I've been a volunteer firefighter and Chief Officer for over 30 years. I know the importance of being able to trust your PPE. Very few fire fighters or departments can afford to waste any of the money they've budgeted for critical gear."
Customers of TheFireStore who purchased the decertified gloves will receive an email alerting them of the situation, followed by a letter containing a more detailed notification and simple instructions for receiving their voucher. Witmer Public Safety Group will then issue a voucher for the purchase price of the gloves. The voucher can be used online at TheFireStore.com, in any of Witmer's retail stores, or by calling 800-852-6088.
"We were initially shocked by news of the NFPA failure and the subsequent closure of The Glove Corp.," Witmer said. "We lost a vendor we had every reason to trust."
"Unfortunately, The Glove Corp. felt they were not able to stand behind their product and made the difficult decision to close their business. I feel bad for their employees, who are certainly the most directly effected. And we're affected, too. We'll take a hit, but we carry many other superb and trustworthy fire glove lines, including Shelby, American Firewear, and Pro-Tech. We'll always do whatever we can to protect our customers. Product failure isn't an option. I don't want to see anyone injured–physically or financially–by products that won't do the job."
"It is our hope that by taking this stand, other distributors of the glove will step up and support their customers. It is critically important that firefighters have peace of mind that their fire gloves will keep them safe while they serve their communities."
TheFireStore voucher will be offered to all customers who purchased The Glove Corp. "Blaze Fighter" gloves from TheFireStore or TheFireStore.com during the period from December 2009 until the announcement in January 2011. The gloves in question are stamped with a lot number reflecting the manufacturing date range from 12109 through 12310. Only customers who verify that their gloves fall within the date range will be authorized to redeem their voucher. All previously made gloves of this style have retained their full certification to NFPA 1971-2007. There is no reason to believe there should be any concern for the safety of those using Blaze Fighter gloves made before the December 2009 lot, or any other models of glove made by The Glove Corp, including the Blaze Fighter EXT.
Any questions or concerns about your Blaze Fighter gloves, or the voucher being offered to customers of TheFireStore, should be directed to Witmer Public Safety Group Customer Service by calling 800 852-6088, or [email protected].
About Witmer Public Safety Group
Witmer Public Safety Group's mission is Equipping Heroes™. They sell and service the products used by first responders to ensure their safety, maximizing their ability to protect and serve the general public. They deliver reliable, high quality goods and services in a timely manner and at a fair price through multiple channels including three ecommerce websites, four retail locations, a large outside sales force, and participation in leading industry trade shows and events. Their product assortment is the most comprehensive in the industry. Key positions within the company are staffed by experienced fire, police, EMS, and military personnel, allowing the staff's real world knowledge to contribute to the relevant products offered to their customers – America's Heroes.
