ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- For the sixth consecutive year, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners are joining forces with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to deliver over 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water to volunteer fire departments across the country.

Locally, Potter and Bushnell Volunteer Fire Departments received water donations.

Phil Cape, Sales Execution Coordinator for High Plains Beverages in Scottsbluff, was in Potter today to deliver their water donation.

"High Plains Beverages is proud to support our first responders and would like to thank you for your service. We would like to encourage every volunteer fire department in the Panhandle to take advantage of this great program every year," Cape said.

This donation will prepare local volunteer firefighters with vital resources ahead of the annual summer wildfire season, rather than waiting until after disaster strikes. The continued partnership builds on the brewer’s longstanding history of showing up for its communities and demonstrates its deep appreciation for the first responders who help to keep them safe.

Across the country, 65 percent of firefighters — typically the first line of defense in local emergencies — are volunteers, often with limited department budgets for critical supplies. Anheuser-Busch's water donations allow these departments to free up limited resources for other expenses or equipment needed to keep their force prepared to respond to any emergency or disaster.

Produced and canned by Anheuser-Busch breweries, the 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water will be distributed to more than 630 volunteer fire departments (VFDs) across 44 states.

“Our continued partnership with the NVFC and volunteer firefighters across the country embodies the rich heritage of Anheuser-Busch 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. “Along with our wholesaler partners, Anheuser-Busch is honored to leverage our production, packaging and logistics capabilities to assist the firefighters who lead with courage to protect us every time they’re called upon.”

Anheuser-Busch has been providing support for disaster relief efforts dating back to 1906, in partnership with the American Red Cross. With an increased focus on disaster preparedness, the brewer started its partnership with the NVFC in 2019 and, together with its wholesaler partners, has delivered nearly 9 million cans of clean, safe drinking water to more than 2,000 volunteer fire departments across 49 states.

“We’re thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with Anheuser-Busch to support local volunteer fire departments across the nation with drinking water so firefighters can stay hydrated and operating at their best during emergency response,” said NVFC Chair Steve Hirsch. “This vital resource helps to prepare our communities and improve the resiliency of our country, assuring that firefighters are able to safely protect themselves and our towns year-round.”

Anheuser-Busch’s breweries in Cartersville, Georgia and Fort Collins, Colo., periodically pause beer production each year to can clean, safe emergency drinking water to support disaster relief efforts. 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.

Anheuser-Busch with wholesaler partners Quality Brands of Lincoln, High Plains Beverage, Eagle Distributing of Grand Island, Quality Brands of North Platte, Eagle Distributing; and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are donating of more than 63,000 cans of emergency drinking water.

“Partnering with Anheuser-Busch to support volunteer firefighters is a true honor. Their unwavering dedication is invaluable, and we’re thankful to contribute to their essential resources for when disaster strikes,” said Anthony Gillick, owner of Quality Brands of Lincoln. 

Recipients of water donations include the following:

o Cook Volunteer Fire Department ( Cook, NE.) 

o Bushnell Volunteer Fire Department (Bushnell, NE.)

o Potter Vol Fire & Rescue Dept (Potter, NE.) 

o Sutton Volunteer Fire (Sutton, NE.) 

o Superior Volunteer Fire Department (Superior, NE.) 

o Amherst Fire Dept (Amherst, NE.) 

o Broken Bow Fire Department (Broken Bow, NE.) 

o Wolbach Fire Department (Wolbach, NE.) 

o Miller Volunteer Fire Department (Miller, NE) 

o Ravenna Volunteer Fire Department (Ravenna, NE.) 

o Hardy Volunteer Fire Department (Hardy, NE.) 

o Pleasanton Volunteer Fire Dept (Pleasanton, NE.) 

o Shelby Rural Fire District (Shelby, NE) 

o Benkelman Volunteer Fire Department (Benkelman, NE.) 

o Wallace Rural Fire District (, Wallace, NE.) 

o Yutan Rural Fire District #12 (Yutan, NE.) 

o Thurston Fire and Rescue (Thurston, NE.) 

o Saint Edward Volunteer Fire Department (St, Edward, NE.) 

o Creighton Volunteer Fire Department (Creighton, NE.) 

o O'Neill Rural Fire District #3 (O'Neill, NE.) 

o Arlington Fire and Rescue (Arlington, NE) 

o Schuyler Fire and Rescue (Schuyler, NE.) 

o Clatonia fire and Rescue (Clatonia, NE.) 

o Avoca Rural Fire Protection District #5 (Avoca, NE.) 

o Bennet Fire and Rescue (Bennet, NE.) 

o Elmwood Volunteer Fire Department ( Elmwood, NE) 

o Southeast Rural Fire Dist. (Lincoln, NE.)