Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade™ Funds Critical Equipment and Training for Community Firefighters

ATLANTA, Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Every day, millions of people count on volunteer and rural community fire units to protect them and their property. More than 825,000 volunteer and small town firefighters do their jobs mostly without recognition and often without the latest equipment or training.

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According to the National Volunteer Fire Council and the National Fire Protection Association, fire and rescue units with volunteers make up 86 percent of all firefighting units in the United States.

For the fifth year during October -- National Fire Prevention Month -- Georgia-Pacific through its Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade™ initiative is awarding more than $100,000 in grants to help small town and rural community fire departments across the United States meet their most critical needs.  This year's grants will total $175,000, the largest amount awarded in the program's history.

"We know first-hand the significant role these fire units play in the life of a community. The Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade is one way we say 'thank you' for their work," said Jim Hannan, CEO and President of Georgia-Pacific.  "Many of our own employees are members of their local fire and rescue units, so we also know the need for the financial support necessary to safely continue the work these departments do."

Launched in 2006, the Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade has contributed more than $600,000 to rural and small town fire units in communities with Georgia-Pacific facilities. The program supports firefighters with cash donations for programming and purchasing necessary equipment, and with materials for fire safety education in local schools.  This year's 25 Georgia-Pacific Bucket Brigade winners were chosen from more than 120 applicants in 23 states.

Headquartered at Atlanta, Georgia-Pacific is one of the world's leading manufacturers and marketers of building products, tissue, packaging, paper, cellulose and related chemicals. The company employs more than 40,000 people at approximately 300 locations in North America, South America and Europe. Georgia-Pacific creates long-term value by using resources efficiently to provide innovative products and solutions that meet the needs of customers and society, while operating in a manner that is environmentally and socially responsible and economically sound. The familiar consumer tissue brands of Georgia-Pacific Consumer Products LP include Quilted Northern®, Angel Soft®, Brawny®, enMotion®, Sparkle®, Mardi Gras® and Vanity Fair®.  Dixie Consumer Products LLC, a Georgia-Pacific company, manufactures the Dixie® brand of tabletop products.  Georgia-Pacific has long been among the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of building products to lumber and building materials dealers and large do-it-yourself warehouse retailers, with brands such as Plytanium® plywood, DryPly® water repellent plywood, Ply-Bead® panels and Wood I Beam™ joists offered by Georgia-Pacific Wood Products LLC and DensArmor Plus® interior panels, DensGlass® Sheathing and ToughRock® drywall offered by Georgia-Pacific Gypsum LLC.  For more information, visit www.gp.com, www.facebook.com/georgiapacific or www.twitter.com/georgiapacific.

SOURCE Georgia-Pacific LLC