NFPA Donates 500 Comfort Bears to Orange and Seminole County Fire Departments

The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) recently donated 500 comfort bears to the Orange County Fire Rescue Department and the Seminole County Fire Department. This generous donation was part of the community outreach activities held during NFPA’s 127th annual conference and expo at the Orange County Convention Center.

The comfort bears, valued at $10,000, were presented during a joint event at Orange County Fire Rescue Department Station 54. Conference attendees contributed by stuffing the bears, adding a personal touch to the donation.

Comfort bears provide essential support during emergencies, helping to soothe traumatized children and allowing first responders to focus on rescue operations. They are also beneficial for older adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia, offering comfort and reassurance in critical situations. In the previous year, Orange County Fire Rescue responded to 115,000 emergency calls, and Seminole County Fire Department handled 50,515 calls, collectively transporting 106,000 patients to local hospitals.

Lt. Dave Williams, a paramedic with 28 years of service, expressed gratitude for the donation. “As first responders, many of us have kids and elderly family members, and we treat patients like our own family. Our supply of comfort bears was nearly depleted, so this donation is incredibly timely. We thank NFPA for their generosity.”