Today following the first round of Lucas Oil Racing Series eliminations Competition Eliminator racer Ed Federkeil, a retired firefighter with 30+ years of service, along with sponsor E3 Spark Plugs donated 15 protective hoods to the NHRA Safety Safari on behalf of Florida-based charity Hoods for Heroes. Federkeil provided the space to Hoods for Heroes on his Dodge Avenger and worked with sponsors E3 Spark Plugs to make this donation happen during the 65th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.
“This opportunity just grew from conversations I had with the founders of Hoods for Heroes and the folks at E3 Spark Plugs,” said Federkeil. “The NHRA Safety Safari does so much for every racer we just thought it was the perfect way to recognize their tremendous contributions to the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.”
Prior to the event Federkeil along with Hoods for Heroes reps Jeff Rountree and Bill Hamilton spoke with Bob Lang from the NHRA Safety Safari about donating 15 protective hoods that can help reduce head and neck exposure to carcinogens by 99% to the member of the Safety Safari. Understanding that safety and protective gear is one of the most costly elements of fire protection, Bullard, a leading manufacturer of high-quality personal protective equipment and systems, provided the hoods, which are valued at over $2,000.
“We got to know ‘Chief Ed’ (Federkeil) before the race and we can’t thank him enough for his support of Hoods for Heroes. We have seen the Safety Safari in action so it is our privilege to make this donation with the support of E3 Spark Plugs and especially Bullard protective equipment,” said Jeff Rountree, co-founder of Hoods for Heroes. “Standard firefighter hoods are commonly referred to as ‘cancer sponges’ because they are made of a material similar to terry cloth, which when wet can absorb toxins through direct contact with a firefighter’s head and neck. This allows dangerous carcinogens to easily enter the bloodstream through the thinnest skin on a firefighter’s body and puts them at greater risk of unnecessary exposures that can lead to developing cancer. Our goal is to extinguish firefighter cancer.”
The donation was made possible by the generosity of Bullard hoods and E3 Spark Plugs who covered the cost of the hoods for Hood for Heroes to donate to the Safety Safari.
“This was a no-brainer decision for us,” said Don Ward, E3 Spark Plugs Lead Engineer. “We support first responders across the country and especially at NHRA national events with the Safety Safari. We have to thank Ed for his years of service and especially the efforts of Jeff and Bill along with everyone at Hoods for Heroes.”
Fans interested in learning more about or donating to Hoods For Heroes can visit www.hoodsforheroes.org
This story was originally published on September 1, 2019. 
