The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation was featured on Anderson Cooper 360° April 6 as part of the series "Building Up America," which focuses on success, risk-taking and glimmers of hope during tough times.
Reporter David Mattingly was to tell the Foundation story while Firehouse Subs founders Robin and Chris Sorensen met face to face with a father who was brought back to life by a ZOLL AutoPulse. The AutoPulse was donated to South Carolina's Mt. Pleasant Fire Department by the foundation last year through the sales of Firehouse Subs pickle buckets.
In the segment, Mattingly describes the moment leading up to the father's collapse. Francisco Tuttle was at work in his office when he collapsed from a heart attack and the AutoPulse was used to save his life. The story also was set to run on American Morning, April 7 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. EST.
The company also has announced the launch of the Foundation's "Chip In" program. During the month of April, each regularly-priced combo meal purchased at Firehouse Subs prompts a 1 cent donation to the Public Safety Foundation. With an average of 1.4 million combos sold each month at Firehouse Subs, Chip In is instrumental to the organization's overall fundraising goal of $1 million in 2010. "As we continue to raise money for the Foundation, the Chip In program is one more way of helping our hometown heroes, one combo at a time," said Robin Sorensen, co-founder of Firehouse Subs. "So many public safety entities are experiencing budget cuts, but life-saving equipment is a necessity; the more money we can raise, the sooner we can get equipment into the hands of our emergency service providers." Along with in-store purchases, Firehouse Subs is adding more fuel to the program by allowing Facebook users to participate in a "gift application," sending virtual firefighter and Chip In-themed gifts to friends. If the goal of 100,000 gifts given is met, additional funds will be donated to the Public Safety Foundation. Ongoing fundraising initiatives include recycling the restaurant chain's five-gallon pickle buckets. The containers have dozens of uses and cost just $2 each at any Firehouse Subs location. Donation canisters on register counters explain the non-profit's mission and collect loose change and bills from patrons, all going to the Public Safety Foundation.
