I don’t know if you believe in premonitions, but during the last couple of years, I have come to. In fact, they are the reason for the existence of Wildland Warehouse.
My mom, God bless her soul, used to say that all things come in threes. She was right, as usual. In May of 2004, I was working a booth at the Pennsylvania Fire Expo when one of my cronies from my Forest Fire Crew came into the booth and started whining about how there was no one at the show selling wildland gear, and last year there was only one vendor. There were plenty of vendors selling structural gear, but none for us bad boy wildland firefighters to buy ours from. I basically said, “Chucky, sit down, stop your whining, and drink your soda.”
Then, that Monday night, I went to a meeting for my home District Warden’s Association where another buddy said that he had bad news to tell us: another vendor that he knew was no longer selling wildland gear. I know, from what you’ve heard so far, most people would get the message not to start up in this field. But I’ve never been that smart! I was actually beginning to consider the idea.
Then, a month later, during a truck-ride to the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs Conference, I brought up the idea to my pop, who has always had what some would politely call an “entrepreneurial” spirit. Well, by the second day of the show, after a scooter ride through the show for nearly four hours, he came back to the booth with at least ten lines of gear to sell. Then, during the next couple of months, we contacted all the “Cadillac” manufacturers of wildland gear, and after their very receptive responses, we were in business.
Since then, our growing staff has worked long and hard to bring you the very best products available for firefighters in both the strongest and most descriptive catalog and website available. Our main goal is to offer you the highest quality U.S. Made products at a fair price. In fact, the vast majority of our products are proudly made right here in the U.S.A. Our other goals include publishing a yearly catalog; maintaining an ever-expanding website, and, as we grow, in addition to supplying all the gear an individual firefighter needs, we will add all the equipment a fire department would require to outfit their brush trucks and/or urban interface engines, including everything from pumps and hoses to all the Department’s Needs.
I thank you for your time, and I invite you to our “Wildland Family” and hope you become a part of it in the years to come.
Sincerely and may God bless America.
Ty Parker
President
Wildland Warehouse
