At 1st in Emergency Products, the commitment to firefighter and emergency service worker safety extends beyond the high-quality made-for-purpose cabinetry they produce for these teams to achieve their missions even when the action requires vehicle command cabinets. The company prioritizes the use of American-made materials like Columbia Forest Products’ PureBond® plywood, which is manufactured with a formaldehyde-free, soy-based adhesive.
Firefighter safety is our top priority. Exposure to toxic chemicals can increase cancer risks among first responders, and we are dedicated to reducing that risk wherever possible. By manufacturing our cabinets with PureBond® plywood, we ensure that emergency service professionals have access to high-performance, non-toxic materials that align with their needs.
Moreover, supporting American manufacturing is a core value at 1st In Emergency Products. Columbia Forest Products’ commitment to U.S. Soy-based adhesives means we are not only helping protect firefighters but also backing sustainable agriculture and domestic manufacturing. As a company that serves fire departments nationwide, we believe in strengthening the industries that support our nation’s heroes.
“Manufacturing our custom cabinets with a safer adhesive made with U.S. Soy aligns with our mission to offer high-performing products that also limit firefighters’ exposure to harmful chemicals in their workspace and vehicles,” said Larry Kohan, President. At 1st in Emergency Products, we prioritize using American-made products like PureBond because our customers value quality, safety, and supporting U.S. manufacturing. We have a deep commitment to protecting firefighters as well as our own workers, which is why we choose materials that help minimize cancer risks.
Using U.S. Soy aligns with our broader mission, where we not only provide high-quality products but also support firefighter health through donations to organizations that educate on gear decontamination and cancer prevention. We proudly give preference to Made in America products to help protect those who protect us.
"U.S. soybean growers are pleased to see another example of how soy-biobased products made from our sustainable crop are also benefiting the health of the emergency services crews that care for our country,” said Susan Watkins, a Dinwiddie County Virginia farmer and United Soybean Board Demand Action Team Lead.
Watkins is featured in this video that explains how U.S. Soy protein is inside millions Columbia Forest Products PureBond plywood panels that deliver a cost-competitive, environmentally friendly adhesive to replace the toxic urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin. EPA awarded the researchers who developed this soy-based panel assembly approach with the 2007 Presidential Green Chemistry Award. According to the EPA, the technology represented the “first cost-competitive, environmentally friendly adhesive that replaced the toxic urea–formaldehyde (UF) resin.
1st in Emergency Products are available through their website as well as through 108 dealers supplying fire departments across the country. Their products are available through local providers, such as East Coast Emergency Lighting (NJ), Elite Vehicle Solutions (NJ), Apparatus Solutions Emergency Vehicle (VA), and 424 Warning Systems (IA).
As part of their industry leadership, 1st in Emergency Products is excited to showcase our firefighter-focused innovations at FDIC International (Booth #4591, Indiana Convention Center). Visitors will see firsthand how our cabinetry solutions integrate PureBond® plywood to deliver superior quality and safety.
Additionally, in partnership with U.S. soybean growers, Cross Plains Solutions will display SoyFoam™ TF 1122, a groundbreaking, PFAS-free firefighting foam that offers environmental and health benefits while maintaining top-tier performance. It will be on display at FDIC at (Booth #4591).
As we continue to innovate, 1st In Emergency Products remains committed to making firefighter environments safer—whether through the materials we use, the solutions we develop, or the initiatives we support. PureBond® plywood is just one example of how we’re driving change, one cabinet at a time.
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