All proceeds are used to better AMERICAN people's lives and to better the AMERICAN ECONOMY!!!! I refuse to take money made from American public safety workers retired garments and donate it to other countries. $2.50 per bag sold is donated to the Burn Institute, and $2.50 per bag sold goes to Firefighters Aid.The rest is to help pay for the cost of running this business. I do not go and get my nails done or buy fancy new clothes. This is a productive startup business designed to help Americans get the American economy FIRED UP!
Being a FIRE WIFE I take this very personally.What happens to these garments after retirement matters to me.
Hi. My name is Niki Rasor and I make bags out of old retired firefighters turnouts. I am happy to make these bags! But let me tell you....they are WORK!!! Just the process alone of me digging through the 5 foot tall huge pile of turnouts takes me about 2-3 hours. I dig and dig and pick out the jackets and pants that I know will work for a bag. However I must inspect each one not only for stains I know I cannot get out but for the date!
If the turnout is less than 10 years old... its off limits to me because it’s still considered "good". 10 years and older it’s out of service! The firefighter must turn in the turnouts and get a new set.
In the 2-3 hours of work I’ll pay for them and then it’s off to the washers! I’ll spend about 3-4 hours there. I take all the thick lining out of the turnouts and spray all the garments with a heavy duty cleaner. Then I pump about 16 quarters in, add a little oxy clean and wash. Wait. Take turnouts and liners out of washer, load them into trunk and take them to my house.
I then drape the wet turnouts and their lining over my fence and let air dry!
Just the "unloading and draping over fence" part takes me about 1-2 hours.
When I’m done, I’m wet and winded! These turnouts are heavy enough when they are dry!
I cannot believe the physical strength our firefighters have, to be able to walk up several flights of stairs wearing at least 30 pounds (if not more) of clothing and 75+ pounds of gear! These men and women are Amazing Americans!
I then cut the garment and spray it again. I have a brush that’s stiff as nails and I scrub. It takes me about 45 min to do 2 pockets and 1 pair of suspenders. Then it’s back out to the fence to air dry.
When dry, I then sew. I make the body of the bag, the lining, and attach the suspenders.
That takes about 2 hours.
Then I put about 1 1/2 hours of "hand sewing" into the bag.
I put so much love and hard work into each bag.
This is not a sob story! I just want you to know the process. I want you to know that each bag has soul and is so unique.
I am a 33 year old house wife. My husband is a Firefighter. We are hardworking single income Americans doing our best to make a fantastic life. We have 4 children under the age of 6. Every free moment I have is golden! I make these bags when my children do not rely on me for their needs, that’s before they wake and when they are asleep. During those times I’m sewing your bag....or washing it.Thanks for reading!
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